The Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway
	Winchester, Virginia USA  Civil War buckles & plates bought and sold
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Civil War buckles & plates, Relicman sales catalog

All  items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described. 
Any excavated relics have been recovered from private property with owners permission.

P1545     Rifleman enlisted waist plate and shako infantry hatpin issued to New York Excelsior Brigade, or Pennsylvania, or Massachusetts units
 

The Federal government purchased a quantity of French "Chaussier" style uniforms from France that apparently included these large shako hats as well as cast white metal buttons (Albert PA48) and Regulation 1855 riflemen buckles.   These uniforms were issued to New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania units during the Brandy Station campaign.  The rifleman buckle is Regulation 1855 and probably was manufactured in the United States.  The large shako hatpin bears patriotic eagle, and infantry horn modeled after the French style and it, along with the uniform hat and buttons, likely originated in France.  The very large hatpin is stamped, attachment pins were stiff wire and soldered, pin was originally gilded and portions lacquered with blue and red paint of poor quality.  Many parts of these accoutrements were found at camps in the region of Brandy Station thought to be attributed to these units, apparently having been discarded.  Most of buckles, consisting of four parts are separated and most of these large flimsy hatpins were broken into pieces or badly bent.  This rifleman buckle and hatpin were found by digger Dennis Irvin at a camp believed to have been specifically used by the New York Excelsior Brigade, and included is all four parts of the buckle and pin, each with minor damage only, this is one of the better examples recovered.    Plate measures 73mm (height only), hatpin is 105mm X 103mm. 
Ref: O'Donnell & Campbell, plate 903 (buckle),  Ref: Crouch Artifacts pg. 150 item 1 (hatpin)    $1,000.