Description
Clearly an unissued item, likely sold many decades ago via a surplus dealer like Stokes Kirk of Philadelphia or Bannerman of New York, but could just be a guy took one home for a keeper! Absolutely fine NCO white buff leather with a browned outer surface, just as issued from the very beginning of the Civil War until they ran out and started using tanned leather. Museum grade specimen. Designed for non commissioned officers, these often got worn by officers because the applied silver wreath could be considered a bit fancier than the standard gilt eagle belt plate. This early War example has the three piece applied wreath which is a bit more scarce than the single applied wreath type, which is typically mid to late Civil War.
