SOUTH CAROLINA MILITIA BELT, BUCKLE, AND CARTRIDGE BOX.

SOUTH CAROLINA MILITIA BELT, BUCKLE, AND CARTRIDGE BOX. This rig was featured in a North-South Trader magazine cover and article (vol. 29, No.1) Author Stephen Sylvia in that article states, “In the early 19th century the popularity of militia organizations grew quickly, especially among the young men of the community who enjoyed military-type recreation and fellowship. A dress uniform, a silk banner, and a shiny sword were also quite attractive to the young ladies. During the golden age of the independent militia era roughly 1825-’60, there were thousands of companies across America. Their zeal was such that most became quite skilled in military pomp and circumstance. Some became so adept at various military activities that national competitions developed for parade drill, small arms shooting matches, fencing, and martial bands. Some companies actually toured the country performing and parading. The South Carolina militia belt rig shown here is indicative of an independent militia company of that era. The rolled sheet brass, clipped-corner belt plate with applied silvered die-struck nullification device is a well-known pattern. This plate is catalogued in Plates and Buckles of the American military 1795-1874 by Sydney C. Kerksis as Fig. 394. Confederate Belt Buckles and Plates by Steve E. Mullinax shows it as Plate 350. In addition, Civil War Relics From South Carolina by Dave and Celeste Topper illustrates several varieties of this plate on pgs. 60-62. The plate measures approximately 2.9” x 2.1” and is accompanied by its orig 1.7” wide leather belt to which a sewn a frog to accommodate an undetermined variant of saber bayonet. The rig also retains its orig non-regulation militia-style cartridge box. It measures approximately 7.5” by 5.6”, which is appropriate for rifle rather than musket. The leather was originally dark brown or black but was painted with white lead to imitate the white buff accoutrements popular from the Mexican War era through the Civil War. The obverse of the bayonet frog, which is of red Moroccan leather, was not painted, thus presenting an attractive contrast to the white belt. It is impossible to say with absolute certainty which firearm originally accompanied this outfit. However given the size of the cartridge box and the provision for saber bayonet, a Mississippi-type rifle is a reasonable assumption. It is even possible that its initial companion may have been the rare and desirable Palmetto Mississippi riffle produced by William Glaze and Co. of Columbia, South Carolina, in 1852. Although orig produced in .54 cal with no provision for a bayonet, a large number of Mississippi rifles of various contracts were altered to take a saber bayonet of some type. Despite the longtime popularity of these militia companies, surprisingly few of their artifacts survived. It is known that a great quantity of this material saw use during the opening days of the Civil War, but much of it was damaged and discarded due to its fragile parade-ground level construction. Still more was discarded and replaced by campaign-grade Government Issue. This rig saw extensive use, although I would surmise most or all of it was on the parade ground rather than in the field. It bears several period repairs, indicating that its use spanned a number of years, perhaps several decades. In any case, its delicate construction and attractive parade-ground appearance hark back to an age of innocence in the antebellum South”. CONDITION: Buckle is very good overall. Overall leather is sound. White paint chipping missing in areas. A couple old repairs to belt frog. 4-59151 JS15 (4,000-5,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2006

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	853	$6,325.00	SOUTH CAROLINA MILITIA BELT, BUCKLE, AND CARTRIDGE BOX. This rig was featured in a North-South Trader magazine cover and article (vol. 29, No.1) Author Stephen Sylvia in that article states, “In the early 19th century the popularity of militia organizations grew quickly, especially among the young men of the community who enjoyed military-type recreation and fellowship. A dress uniform, a silk banner, and a shiny sword were also quite attractive to the young ladies. During the golden age of the independent militia era roughly 1825-’60, there were thousands of companies across America. Their zeal was such that most became quite skilled in military pomp and circumstance. Some became so adept at various military activities that national competitions developed for parade drill, small arms shooting matches, fencing, and martial bands. Some companies actually toured the country performing and parading. The South Carolina militia belt rig shown here is indicative of an independent militia company of that era. The rolled sheet brass, clipped-corner belt plate with applied silvered die-struck nullification device is a well-known pattern. This plate is catalogued in Plates and Buckles of the American military 1795-1874 by Sydney C. Kerksis as Fig. 394. Confederate Belt Buckles and Plates by Steve E. Mullinax shows it as Plate 350. In addition, Civil War Relics From South Carolina by Dave and Celeste Topper illustrates several varieties of this plate on pgs. 60-62. The plate measures approximately 2.9” x 2.1” and is accompanied by its orig 1.7” wide leather belt to which a sewn a frog to accommodate an undetermined variant of saber bayonet. The rig also retains its orig non-regulation militia-style cartridge box. It measures approximately 7.5” by 5.6”, which is appropriate for rifle rather than musket. The leather was originally dark brown or black but was painted with white lead to imitate the white buff accoutrements popular from the Mexican War era through the Civil War. The obverse of the bayonet frog, which is of red Moroccan leather, was not painted, thus presenting an attractive contrast to the white belt. It is impossible to say with absolute certainty which firearm originally accompanied this outfit. However given the size of the cartridge box and the provision for saber bayonet, a Mississippi-type rifle is a reasonable assumption. It is even possible that its initial companion may have been the rare and desirable Palmetto Mississippi riffle produced by William Glaze and Co. of Columbia, South Carolina, in 1852. Although orig produced in .54 cal with no provision for a bayonet, a large number of Mississippi rifles of various contracts were altered to take a saber bayonet of some type. Despite the longtime popularity of these militia companies, surprisingly few of their artifacts survived. It is known that a great quantity of this material saw use during the opening days of the Civil War, but much of it was damaged and discarded due to its fragile parade-ground level construction. Still more was discarded and replaced by campaign-grade Government Issue. This rig saw extensive use, although I would surmise most or all of it was on the parade ground rather than in the field. It bears several period repairs, indicating that its use spanned a number of years, perhaps several decades. In any case, its delicate construction and attractive parade-ground appearance hark back to an age of innocence in the antebellum South”. CONDITION: Buckle is very good overall. Overall leather is sound. White paint chipping missing in areas. A couple old repairs to belt frog. 4-59151 JS15 (4,000-5,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2006 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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