Civil War Two-piece Brass Eagle Belt Buckle, dug Petersburg

This is another great piece being offered, it is a Civil War officer’s 2-piece interlocking sash buckle. It is stamped brass with an eagle on the tongue. Being thin brass, they were most likely worn with a dress sash, not intended to support a sword or revolver. It was recently recovered in an 1864 winter camp, just on the western outskirts of Petersburg, Virginia.

The bottom left part of the attachment bar on the tongue is missing, probably why it was lost or discarded. It has a fantastic untouched lime green patina and there is still remnants of the dirt on parts of the buckle.

There are examples of this buckle in “Civil War Relics of the Western Campaigns”, by Charles Harris (see pictures). The description states these plates were sold by camp sutlers and manufacturers. No doubt some officers were unaware of their limitations regarding their strength. It comes in the glass top display case pictured.