REPRODUCTION CIVIL WAR BUCKLES & PLATES
By Gary Williams
US MARINES
This is the beginning of your education in US MARINES plates. To accommodate slow Internet connections and to speed up the loading of these pages, only 10 buckles will be displayed per page. Please click on the "Page" link to change pages. The plates listed with "Plate Numbers" are the actual Plate Numbers listed in "American Military Belt Plates" by Michael J. O'Donnell & J. Duncan Campbell. Use the photos of the original plates listed in these books to compare the differences in the repros listed here.
Photo # USMC1
Plate 987 (1840 Marine Corps Officers Sword Belt Plate) 43 x 79mm.
Marked GW. This reproduction belt plate is solid cast and has an applied silver
wreath. The original had a different wreath and the letters were applied. There
should be no problem with this belt plate.
Photo # USMC2
Plate 1026 (1900 Post War Marine Belt Plate) 44 x 79mm. Marked GW.
The original of this plate was cast without an emblem. What ever branch of the
military you wanted, it could be applied. The hook was also applied on the
original. My reproduction is solid cast and sometimes faked but not even close
to the original.
Photo # USMC3
Modern (Marine Corps Belt Plate) This is a modern Marine Corps
buckle that is a very good seller. This plate could be faked but it is not Civil
War period.
Photo # USMC4
Modern (1975 Marine Corps Two Piece Belt Plate) I made the Marine
center disc for this two piece from a toy helmet emblem. I used the 1850 Navy
two piece for the pattern plate. Fellow Marines wanted a two piece and I cast
one from this pattern that I created.