If you have a Civil War item that you can't identify or something you want to know the value of, contact John (mail: Box 510, Acworth, GA 30101;  e-mail John or call 770-329-4984 or 770-974-6495). John needs a good description of the item, condition, manufacturer's marks and any other markings, and photos. Please Note: All questions MUST be accompanied with a Photo, it should not be more than 200k in file size.

Hi, John. I have owned this Tiffany 14Kt cavalry crossed sabers for about 40 years. I bought it from a lady whose family was from the East Coast and moved to L.A. in 1916. It was packed in a trunk with a gun and other old clothing from the 1800s. It is marked “Tiffany Makers 14Kt” and then the letter "M" in Old English-type letter. I was told that wealthy officers often bought their pins, etc. from custom makers. Do you know anything about this?

I have been an antique dealer in the Los Angeles area for more than 45 years. My main business is estate jewelry and fine art.

Thanks for any info! –Ralph B.

JS: I have never seen a solid gold insignia like this used during the Civil War. Tiffany did indeed sell lots of officer's regalia, including insignia, but typically, it was engraved brass or silver and gold plated. I'm sure if an officer wanted solid gold cavalry sabers insignia, Tiffany would've made it.

During the Civil War, there were specific patterns of officer's insignia, including crossed sabers for cavalry officers. This insignia, generally worn on a hat, was embroidered on a velvet background in an oval edged with beaded decorations; the embroidery was typically done with metal bullion that was plated. Occasionally, officers would wear metal insignia that had the appearance of embroidery, known as “false-embroidery.” This embroidered decoration was pretty much the difference between officers and enlisted crossed cavalry sabers.

Your gold crossed sabers are plain and lend me to believe that they are post Civil War because of the style of T-bar pin. It is my guess that these were used in the late Indian wars or possibly the Spanish-American War as a collar insignia. Also, the old German "M" in your mark appears to be more similar to the mark found on late Victorian Era Tiffany markings. The mark used up to 1870, illustrate here.

I am not sure of the value for these, as they are unique. I think they may be more valuable as a Tiffany collectible and not as a military collectible, unless they were named or we knew their history. 

Hello John, you were referred to us by a person from the Civil War talk forum. We found this particular belt buckle while metal detecting in the Gainesville, Fla., area. We are trying to find out any information about it. We did have Dr Keith Holland (he found the Maple Leaf Civil War ship in the St. John's River) look at the buckle. He said that he thought it might be pre-Civil War. He said he had not seen anything like it, and he also thought that it might be very rare. It is made of bronze.

Have you seen anything like this or know anything? Any help would be appreciated. –LeeAnn T.

JS: Your buckle is indeed most likely pre-Civil War or early war, as you were told. Sash buckles were popular in Antebellum America and Europe. Similar buckles are often seen in photographs worn by men and women in various designs and types of attachments. Most have soldered or riveted loop-and-eye attachments such as yours, though other examples are tongue-and-wreath.

The manufacture of these buckles seems to date to circa 1840-1890, based on excavated examples and in vintage photography. These buckles are typically of light manufacture, not being needed to support a lot of weight. There are decorative types with many designs including: advertising, Greco-Roman motifs, rococo, floral and patriotic designs, like yours. The placement of a patriotic device inside a wreath is typically seen in Civil War Era military or patriotic insignia.

We can date yours based of the design of the stars in the canton of the flag. Thirteen-star flags have been used by regulation on U.S. naval vessels from the mid-19th century. The 4-5-4 arrangement of stars was regulation after the Mexican War from the 1850s until 1862 when regulations changed to make the canton display 13 stars in a horizontal arrangement of 3-2-3-2-3. So we know this buckle with 4-5-4 stars dates from about the mid-1850s to 1862, most likely.

Sash buckles have limited value on the Civil War market other than solid gold patriotic ones made from California gold during the Civil War. Those solid gold examples are found priced in the market for $1,000 or more. Nice excavated examples of numerous designs can be found priced around $100-$300 at trade shows, and some are unique survivors like yours.