Here is a super cool early dug piece from pioneer collector Mr. William Gavin. What can you say about these early dug plates, and a C. S. one at that. Here we have a "C. S. Gutter Back frame buckle". Never cleaned and just as found, with a piece torn out right by where the one belt tongue was. Plate is classic style, early war production. Constructed of brass in the sand-cast mold process, with duel fixed tongue with a distinct "deep grooved" or "gutter Back" style. Surface of the frame is in good condition, but only has one of the fixed tongues, and a center bar that is slightly offset. Missing tongue was forcibly broken off and took with it a section of the frame that is missing. Was this piece (bullet struck, artillery struck, we can only wonder). This buckle measures @ 57 x65 mm, and has no makers mark. This confederate issue "fixed tongue frame buckle" with the "gutter back" frame is the second most common style after the standard CS frame buckle. Otherwise the plate speaks for itself, and i wonder what it could tell us and shows the great quality of early dug plates.

As by the note written by Mr. Gavin this plate was dug on Jan 25 1959 in a confederate camp site on scene of Gen Meade's attack against General Gregg's brigade at Fredericksburg (Hamilton's Crossing) on Dec 13 1862
Ref: O'Donnell & Campbell plate 171