Rust Removal and Soldier Scratchings

While removing rust from a breakthrough area on the face of this eagle plate, I noticed etchings on the backside.  The soldier looks to have carved a flag and perhaps some other items as well.  Camp boredom was a huge problem and many a soldier turned idle hands to carving whatever was handy.

Returning an Over-cleaned Relic to As-Dug Condition

Here is an example of an over-cleaned Virginia coat button. A wire brush, or more likely, coarse steel wool was used to remove the 155 year old patina. Back in the day this harsh treatment may have been acceptable.  Nowadays, anything coming out of the ground is minimally cleaned and certainly never shined.  The only plus side of this over-clean was how it created the contrast of the details by hi-lighting them against the dark verdigris of the oxidized brass in the recesses.

I used a patination acid to oxidize the exposed brass and added a bit of dust to match this to another button the collector cited as coming from the same soil.

Some details are no longer as visible in the re-patinated version with the loss of the contrast but all details remain physically intact. Patination does not corrode away but leaves a thin salts layer when reacting with the raw metal. All details can be "brought out" as desired by selectively rubbing them up a bit. Doing so however would probably wear through to the underlying brass so I will leave this option to the collector.

SNY Buckle

This State of New York militia buckle was probably lost during the Peninsula Campaign.  I couldn't resist the opportunity to improve its condition and hopefully pass it on to someone who would like to add this to their collection and who appreciates how it looks now.    Basically, I have removed some of the high profile oxidation, or "crusties" as I refer to them, filled some voids in the rim, and evened out the overall color.  I also removed the digger's marks from the solder fill.  I think the work represents an improvement without overdoing the resto'.  This plate is available for sale for those who may be interested.

Confederate Artillery: Block A Repair

Here is the rather common CS Artillery button constructed of a brass face, tin back and brass shank. The back is totally gone as you can see and the button has been bent over in half. These have a relatively high copper content making the relic more malleable than most.  The repair requires making a back appear like rusted tin and installing the characteristic off-center elongated loop found in these varieties.

Some Christmas Eve Restorations

Seen in this picture is a Confederate forked tongue buckle and some other fine Civil War relics that came to me for repair and restoration.

The buckle frame, the only original piece, was without the bar and tongue when it arrived. It was also broken and in an ugly pretzel. Additionally, it was devoid of any consistent patina having been "roughed up" by the plow over so many years.  I straightened it out then made the bar and the tongue to fit and attached all.  I then gave it all a woods-dug look to bring it all together. That requires layering. As veteran collectors of dug relics know, there is a richness of that look that is difficult to replicate.

The two company letter M relics were broken and both were missing their narrow left legs, the most fragile part of the device. I fabricated, attached and then blended the repairs into the existing look of the relics as dug. The company letter A was broken as well. The trick, or challenge, as always, is how to camouflage break seams while maintaining the originality of the rest of the relic. Whereas I could pretty much go in any direction with the fork-tongue buckle, with the other items, an existing surface attesting to where they were recovered should be retained (my opinion).  That super light and soft crust coupled with the great condition of the brass under it makes me believe the letters are Richmond area finds.

The block I infantry button was in several pieces (five).  I put that puzzle back together, filled voids, added the back and as with the other relics blended the repairs in with oxides, dirt, dust and whatever else I felt would give it the right look. All in all, a dang good looking display... not destined for the island of misfit relics.

My Olde Site: Getting Older

My Olde Site, a federal era (or earlier) cellar hole,produced these american indian artifacts at the deepest levels.  I've been informeed that the two pieces in the foreground are made of steatite, a type of soapstone quarried and carved by the indigenous tribes.  The large chunk on the left is a  portion of the side of what was once a large bowl. The smaller item is some kind of bowl.  The rounded stone is what I believe to be a masher and is the only smooth stone of its kind to come out of the  ground at this site.     

 The notches or grooves along the top edge of the bowl below are where the chunk was carved away from the face of the quarry.  The native americans would carve the bowl in place then remove it from the face of the quarry, completing the bowl after removal.

 The worked piece of flint below is probably a "graver" used to engrave.  The bead is European and is probably a trade bead from first contact with these american indians.

Plate Straightening

This rather unusual excavated sword belt plate required straightening and touch ups to make displayable.  I suspect that many plough hits over the years has resulted in the significant distortion.

Applying pressure using several clamps simultaneously allowed for a break-less outcome.  Touch ups to some cracks along the edges and face resulted in a pretty good restoration.

What device was originally on the face of this plate is a mystery.  Several possibilities exist and these can be found in the many reference books on buckles and plates of the period.