War of 1812 Era Waist Belt Plate / SOLD

War of 1812 Era Waist Belt Plate - Inventory Number: BEL 506 / SOLD

See O’Donnell and Campbell for some of the background on these plates. They tend to date roughly from 1818 to 1835, but some patterns extend a few years on either side of that. This was a widely used plate in the “elegant elite,” the volunteer militia who formed their own uniformed companies and were a prominent and elegant part of the social scene in the early 19th century United States. Every adult male, with some exemptions, was part of the enrolled militia and expected to show up at regular musters with basic equipment. Volunteer companies, however, supplied their own arms, gear, and uniforms, competing with one another not just on the drill field but in parades, musters, fancy balls and cotillions. Fortunately for collectors, early militia material is a combination of history and art. The plate itself has prongs on a bar on the reverse that would fit two rows of adjusting holes on the belt. The plate also had the tongue which fitted the hasp fixed in place on the other end of the waist belt. The plate is the square eagle belt plate that came in around 1815 but saw its heyday after 1818 and has a wonderful dark patina on the brass. This plate most closely resembles plate #153. The back of the plate retains a price tag from the 1970’s when it was bought for $4.75.

Comes housed in 6 x 8 riker display case with red velvet and descriptive card.

Inventory Number: BEL 506 / SOLD