US Waist Belt Buckle - Marked W. H. Wilkinson / Springfield / T. J. Shepard
SOLD
Item: US Waist Belt Plate - Marked "W. H. WILKINSON SPRINGIELD, MASS." & "T. J. SHEPPARD"
Construction: Stamped thin sheet brass, with raised stamped letters "US", rear with solder fill and arrow type attachment hooks.
Condition: Very good, excavated. Its brass front has a mottled tan-brown patina. The rim is nearly complete with chipping and wear at the "U" end. The rear has a near complete complement of solder. All three belt attachment hooks are present. Stamped into the solder is "W. H. WILKINSON / SPRINGIELD, MASS." representing the accoutrement supplier and their address, and "T. J. SHEPPARD" the mark if the government inspector. The buckle has no cracks, bends or repairs.
Recovered: Frederick County, MD.
Approximate size: 55 x 87 mm.
Reference: An example is pictured and described in the following reference book:
- "American Military Belt Plates" by Michael J. O'Donnell and J. Duncan Campbell, on page 310, plate 499.
See above page in additional images.
Comments: The Wilkinson mark is a rarely encountered especially on buckles and even more so on cartridge box plates. The majority of buckles recovered do not have any stampings on the rear, making those that are stamped, a rarity. Of the handful of manufacturers who stamped their plates, the Wilkinson stamp found on a buckle, rates a solid 7 on a scale of 1-10 with 10 the rarest. This marked buckle was acquired directly from the digger and will be an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War buckle, plate, or general relic collection.
- Product Code:
- PC11540
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