Fakes, reproductions, replicas,
an investigative report, by Harry Ridgeway
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Fakes, reproductions, replicas, |
Fakes, reproductions,
replicas,
Federal shoulder plates,
Federal plates 440 to 468
Disclaimer: by clicking onto this page you are expressly accepting the terms of the disclaimer explained fully on the fakes main page.
The Federal shoulder plate is die stamped, solder filled. It may be configured as an enlisted shoulder plate with wire loops, or as an NCO plate with three hooks. The dies on some of these plates are very close. However lay them side by side with the real ones and there are usually small differences. Go by the small differences in the dies, not the patina or the configuration of the back, although those are good clues.
Plate 462 WH Smith die pattern
F1467
Federal shoulder plate, pattern 462,
manufactured by S&S Firearms
This is a different pattern of the shoulder plate, and is very close to pattern
462, which is the WH Smith die. Look at the feathers and leaves, generally the
details are slightly better formed in the original die, but you have to look
very carefully as the differences are slight. Most of them, including this
one are configured with brass hooks, which are not correct for this pattern.
However this sutler sells this plate as skin only, so it can easily be filled
with any backing or hooks of choice. And the brass can be aged. So
do not go by the hooks or the aging, compare the die details, this is the only
reliable way to distinguish this repro from the real shoulder plate.
Buckle measures 64mm.
Editor note: Plate was obtained directly from S&S Firearms, as a sample of their production to be used in this presentation.
F1491
Shoulder plate pattern 462
Buckle measures 64mm
Editor note: Plate was obtained directly from a sutler, and was sold as a re-enactment supply.
F1492
Shoulder plate, pattern 462, NCO
Plate was bought new from an NCO. This one is way
overfilled plus the arrow hooks are simply not right. So I experimented
with this one. I applied heat and only thing that happened was part of the
lead melted out. However it was put outside and easily aged. I did
this to demonstrate that aging is not how you determine a fake, this is a fake,
the patina is good, but everything else about the buckle is wrong.
Buckle measures 64mm
Editor note: Plate was obtained directly from a sutler, and was sold as a re-enactment supply.
Plate 464
This die pattern is distinct, the eagle's feathers are
not well formed, the feathers of the arrows seems to be dots, and the eagle's
feet are boney. The die pattern may be questioned, many collectors have
opined that the example shown in O'Donnell's book is actually a repro.
However there is the possibility that the pattern is good and there could be
some authentic examples out there of it. It is not clear if somebody has
the original die and is making good use of it or if somebody has accurately
copied the die or if this pattern was simply a fantasy to begin with, created
possibly for the centennial in the 1960's. There seem to be more questions
that answers as to this pattern.
F1466
Federal shoulder plate, manufactured by S&S
Firearms
Plate is pattern with dots in the feathers of the eagle. An example of
this buckle was shown in O'Donnell's book, plate 464. There is debate
amongst collectors about this buckle, but most collectors believe that this
pattern is a fantasy. This example was certainly obtained from a sutler
and was not claimed to be real.
Plate measures 63mm
Editor note: Plate was obtained directly from S&S Firearms, as a sample of their production to be used in this presentation.
F1489
Shoulder plate, pattern 464, S&S Firearms
Buckle measures 64mm
Editor note: Plate was obtained directly from a sutler, and was sold as a re-enactment supply, this pattern is also sold by S&S Firearms in their catalog.
F1490
Shoulder plate, pattern 464
Here is another one of those pesky pattern 464 plates.
I have not found an authentic one yet, and this one is not authentic. It
was brought as real by an honorable dealer, but once he figured it out he gave
it to me to publish for my fakes project, so here it is. The wire hooks
appear to be thin steel hooks, although I imagine they could be rusted or
removed. The die is distinct, dots in the feathers, the bird feathers are
crude and too symmetical. Buckle measures 64mm.
F1495
Shoulder plate, a ratty example of pattern 464
This plate was culled out of a collection that was contaminated
by too many ebay purchases. The collection was a disaster, way too many
fakes, and was hard to cut through the smoke. This was in it. I
guess somebody figured out that if the plate is damaged enough it will be
accepted. This one is certainly damaged, but in this condition even a real
piece will not be worth much.
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FP1484 |
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Eagle round shoulder plate |
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FP1654 |
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Eagle round shoulder plate, REPRO |
Plate 468
The original of this pattern is commonly found, I personally dug at least half a
dozen of them from the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign. This die is very
close, but lay the two side by side and there are small but hard to tell
differences. Again the question is, does somebody have the original die or
has the die been accurately copied. This pattern is definitely a good
pattern question is which examples are repro versus real.
F1480
Federal shoulder plate, pattern 468, manufactured by Yeck
Products
Shoulder plate is close to pattern 468, which is a common pattern. There
are differences in the die, the feathers in the wings are actually more detailed
on this copy than on the original. but you have to look very carefully as the
differences are slight. This one os configured with thin steel wire
hooks, however steel does rust eventually so the hooks are probably not going
provide much of a clue. And the brass can be aged. So do not go by
the hooks or the aging, compare the die details, this is the only reliable way
to distinguish this repro from the real shoulder plate.
Buckle measures 64mm
Editor note: Plate was obtained directly from Yeck Products, as a sample of their production to be used in this presentation.
F1481
Federal shoulder pattern plate NCO , manufactured by Yeck
Products
Shoulder plate is close to pattern 468. This one has brass NCO hooks which is
not correct for this pattern, I don't think this contractor made any NCO plates,
so any NCO plates found with this die will be suspect. However it can be configured with iron hooks
as a regular enlisted shoulder plate.
Buckle measures 64mm
Editor note: Plate was obtained directly from Yeck Products, as a sample of their production to be used in this presentation.
Here is an authentic buckle, faked provenance. If the provenance were not faked, the site is so illegal, the seller would be facing serious jail time for digging on a national treasure!
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FP1602 |
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Eagle round shoulder plate, authentic plate, faked provenance |
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