

WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1830 



USNM 60329-M (S-K 85'). Figure 186. 



This plate, cast in brass, is typical of the small 

 plates, both round and rectangular, that were worn 

 with light-weight, full-dress stafT swords. It is an ex- 

 ample of the early, hand-made, bench-assembled 

 types. The outer ring carries the wreath typical of 

 the period, while the inner ring carries the eagle with 

 its head to the right, shield on breast, arrows in left 

 talon, and olive branch in right talon. The whole 

 lies within a ring of 13 5-pointed stars; the uppermost 

 five stars are mixed with a sunburst rising from the 

 eagle's wings. 



WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. I82I ( ?)-I830 



USNM 60466~M (S-K 222). Figure 187. 



This i)rass, bench-assembled plate is similar to tiic 

 Regular artillery belt plate of 1816 (fig. 56) in that 

 the design on the inner ring is struck with a series of 

 separate hand-held dies on a piece of blank round 

 stock. The floral design on the belt attachments is 

 cast. In many of the early bench-made plates, the 

 final assemblyman marked the matching pairs so that 

 they could readily be re-paired after buffing and 

 plating. In this specimen, each ring bears the numeral 



XXVIII. 



Figure 187 

 WAIST-BELT PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1830 



USNM 60467-M QS-K 223). Figure 188. 



This plate, with the center ring struck in medium 

 brass and the belt attachment cast, was worn ijy 

 Militia of New York State, as indicated by the eagle- 

 on-haLf-globe device taken from that state's seal. Of 

 brass, it is assigned to the artillery. The quality of 

 the belt to which it is attached and the ornateness of 

 I he plate itself indicate that it was made for an officer. 

 The left-hand belt attachment is missing. 



WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1830 



USNM 60470-M (S-K 226). 



Figure 189. 



Figure i86 



This small, cast-brass plate is another example of 

 the plates made for social or full-dress wear with the 

 light-weight staff sword. The design on the inner 

 ring is unusual in that the eagle, with upraised wings, 

 is standing on the Federal shield. The plate is a 

 bench-made product, with the inner and outer rings 



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