1851 Sword Belt Plate Query -- "O & C 665" obtainable via private purchase?

[Bob George]

Friends, can anyone weigh-in?

Could the 1851 Regulation Sword Belt Plate, known as a "O'Donnell & Campbell plate pattern 665," been obtained via private purchase by an officer, or was it strictly a contract piece for enlisted?

Many thanks

Ref: http://www.relicman.com/plates/zArch...alSword665.htm

Bob



Robert Broadwater
NPS Vol.

[ScottCross]

Re: 1851 Sword Belt Plate Query -- "O & C 665" obtainable via private purchase?

I am not familiar with any documentation that officers used enlisted belts. I'm not saying they didn't, but all the original officer's belts with plates that I have seen were private purchase.

[gsusat]

Re: 1851 Sword Belt Plate Query -- "O & C 665" obtainable via private purchase?

The notation is from a modern reference work - Campbell, J. Duncan and Michael J. O'Donnell American Military Belt Plates (Alexanderia, VA: O'Donnell Publications, 1996) You might look there to see if there is any more information on that particular plate type.
The 1851 belt plate was furnished to the Government for issue to the soldier and avaliable for private purchase.

Do you mean this particular mould variation or the general 1851 belt plate? They were produced with the one piece soldered on wreath as show here or with a three piece soldered on wreath or and intergal cast brass wreath. The plates were made by many different firms and government facilities. There are some variations due to the different moulds used.