Civil War Snake Buckle?

Gimmie The Loot

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I was out coin hunting yesterday, digging mid tones hoping for indian pennies when this thing came up. I put it away in the pouch thinking it was a suspender clip or off a ladies purse. When I got home I was drawn to the snake like things on it.

A friend thinks it is a belt buckle. Any ideas?

Thanks for looking.
 

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Awesome find !! Likely worn by a Confederate Soldier. Snake buckles are British imports and come in many variations, Hopefully you can find the keeper for the other side, but still a killer relic if you can't.
 
That's pretty dang cool! Holy smokes if you could just find the other side. What a find.
 
Charles Harris recently released a new book on snake buckles. If you would like a copy contact American Digger magazine.
 
That's awesome! Looks like the one in the picture to me except it is more square in the corners. It sure looks legit to me though. Let us know if you find more relics out there.
 
Oh, very interesting. According to the link they were produced/worn as part of some police and Boy Scout uniforms during the late 1800's. I wonder if that goes for the US, too. I did know that they were imported, particularly during the later years when the Confederacy was running out of supplies.

Avon & Somerset Constabulary police memorabilia. (UK)

GocFS3g.jpg
 
Avon & Somerset Constabulary police memorabilia. (UK)

GocFS3g.jpg

He could investigate whether or not any of them were ever imported to the US for non-military purposes.

Also, there are some variations in construction. The loop for the belt is squared off in some (his) and round in others (the civil war photo and the police belt example). On the other hand, the loops for the snake heads are twisted in some (his) and 90 degrees to the belt loop in others (police belt photo). Then there are differences in metal composition.

The trick would be to see if his combination of features/details matches at least one civil war era photos or an authenticated Civil War example (i.e., those confirmed to have been dug on a battlefield).

They do make reproductions, but I think it's pretty easy to rule out that out based on the patina.
 
He could investigate whether or not any of them were ever imported to the US for non-military purposes.

Also, there are some variations in construction. The loop for the belt is squared off in some (his) and round in others (the civil war photo and the police belt example). On the other hand, the loops for the snake heads are twisted in some (his) and 90 degrees to the belt loop in others (police belt photo). Then there are differences in metal composition.

The trick would be to see if his combination of features/details matches at least one civil war era photos or an authenticated Civil War example (i.e., those confirmed to have been dug on a battlefield).

They do make reproductions, but I think it's pretty easy to rule out that out based on the patina.

Great observations! Those are also the differences I see that have been throwing off my confirmed age. I did find one that matches from an artifact auction site that calls it a CW buckle. I am not sure how much I trust an auction site though.
 

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