basic strike, or the plate could be struck a second 

 time to add a device integral to it. Thus the back- 

 ground portion of the specimen must be considered a 

 stock pattern. A print of the National Guards of 

 Philadelphia in U.S. Military Magazine for October 

 1841 shows an officer wearing a similar plate. If the 

 stars are significant, the plate can be dated between 

 1837 and 1845. 



SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 



USNM 604471-M (i'-K 618'). Figure 110. 



In this plate, the center ornament used in the pre- 

 ceding specimen has been struck directly in a rectan- 

 gular, bevelled background. However, the back- 

 ground of this plate has a stippled surface rather than 

 a sunburst. An interesting feature is that there are 

 four slots punched through the plate for the attach- 

 ment of an additional device over the wreath and 

 shield. This is another of the many examples of how 

 a unit might have an insignia distinctive to itself at 

 little extra cost. This plate is obviously of a stock 

 pattern. The national collections also contain a die 

 sample of this particular plate. 



Figure 219 



soldered. Since the sun rays in the background radi- 

 ate outward not from the center but from the edge of 

 a circle about 1 U inches in diameter, almost any de- 

 sired center ornament could ha\e been added to the 



Figure 220 



SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 



US'^M 604472-M QS-K 619). Figure HI . 



Another example of the rectangular, bevelled-edged, 

 shoulder-ljelt plate for officers is this brass-cast copy 



104 



