Oval CS Belt Buckle

[scoutguy375]

Greetings All,
So I was watching Pawn Stars last night and someone brought in an oval CS belt buckle with a Minie Ball lodged in it. They brought it a specialist to examine the buckle. It was a typical oval CS buckle with a puppy paw back. He examined it and determined that it was a fake.

I don't question that it was probably fake (I'm no expert), but what he said next kind of surprised me. Me said that the Confederate States never issued or wore an oval CS belt buckle! From what I've seen and read, he's incorrect in this statement. Any truth to what he claimed? Thanks! - Jeff

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

There were several variants of CS oval plates - never take the word of a TV "expert" when it comes to the minutia and artifacts of the Civil War. Just crack open any of the number of belt plate and buckle books, or even the CS "Echoes of Glory" and you'll find many provenanced oval CS buckles

[vamick]

And just as an aside..I saw his "expert" examine what even on the TV was clearly a McClellan saddle..without a clue as to what it was

[indguard]

I have laughed at most of these "reality" shows on their determinations on what things are and what they are worth. They are often way, way off base.

WTH
The TVisaWasteland Mess

[Traveler1863]

I've also seen their expert make mistakes. He helped my education in a way. (I have to reseach something if I'm not sure). I went back to the books to make sure he was incorrect. He was.

Gordon Morey

[Frederick14Va]

There were indeed a number of original versions of CS Ovals....

However majority of the CS Ovals we see peddled by sutlers, and worn by many reenactors as buckles and box plates that are an identical copy from the US Oval design... identical font style letters, exact same border etc, just with CS instead. Those are a fantasy version that surfaced in the 1950-60's era as a collectable, and not based upon any authentic/original existing pattern.

[11thVACoG]

sad thing is, the average viewer wont know any different. I saw that episode, and wondered what he was talking about.