Pre-Civil War Model 1852 U.S. Navy Officer’s Two-Piece Belt Plate – Highly Gilded Ornate Example

Pre-Civil War Model 1852 U.S. Navy Officer’s Two-Piece Belt Plate – Highly Gilded Ornate Example – This pre-Civil War, U.S. Navy officer’s, two-piece, belt plate is a markedly higher quality plate than what is normally encountered today. This plate was beautifully crafted via sand casting, die-stamping, skilled finishing work and impressive gilding; the entire plate is gilded – the gilding remains almost comparable to the day the process was completed; the entire plate remains in superior condition. The plate’s bar was cast and the tongue was die stamped, then “sweated” to the bar, a characteristic of these pre-war plates. The face side of the tongue exhibits a classic, droop-winged eagle, perched on an anchor with circumferential stars surrounding the eagle and anchor. Both belt loop bars exhibit a raised, decorative laurel leaf motif at the inside corners of the bars. This is an uncommon, pre-Civil War, naval officer’s belt plate, rarely found in such superb condition.