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     The Confederate “CS” accoutrement belt plate shown here is an extremely rare pattern.  It is a solid cast copy of the Breckinridge CS oval.  Judging by the very few examples of this plate that survive, some estimate that only enough for a company were ever made.  It is estimated that only 16-30 (Mullinax) of these belt plates exist today.  Even though this is very few, I do not think it reasonable that this many could have been recovered from only 80-100 issued.  Personally, I think probably enough for a regiment or at least several companies were made.

     The excavated examples that have been recovered all come from the Western Theatre.  Known examples have come from Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Lovejoy Station and Atlanta. 

     This beautiful example has an impeccable provenance.  It was excavated by Keith Kennerly.  Keith was hunting an Army of Tennessee camp near Palmetto, Georgia in 1982 and excavated this plate “behind the small airport on a hill”.  The camp was well known, Jefferson Davis having given a speech to the Army encamped at the place for 10 days from September 19-29, 1864.  Few plates came out of the camp, but hundreds of cast I buttons were found there.

     This particular example is published in Collecting the Confederacy and Volume 30, number 3, 2004, North South Trader’s Civil War Magazine and comes with a copy of the book and magazine.

     Seldom does such a rare, desirable and pristine belt plate come to the collectors market with such an impeccable provenance.  Flawless!