Snake buckle belt on E-Bay tintype picture

[PaulJ]

Hi,
noticed this on E-Bay - nice, clear image of a snake buckle belt for your viewing pleasure!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tintype-of-Confederate-Soldier-w-Snake-Buckle_W0QQitemZ200356805792QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Photo_Images?hash=item2ea6323ca0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Will upload picture as this auction finishes in 2 days.

Any thoughts on the jacket - could it be civilian?

Seller's text:- "Listed today I have a 1/9th tintype of a confederate soldier wearing an imported snake buckle. The image has amazing contrast and you can clearly see the snake buckle on his belt. I just picked this image up as an attic find in Virginia."


Best regards

[Marc29thGA]

Re: Snake buckle belt on E-Bay tintype picture

That is a nice picture. To my eyes and computer, the belt looks to have a rectangular backing behind the buckle instead of an oval shape.

The button placement on his jacket seems to be further in from the edge. I wonder if that is how it was made of maybe field modified for a better fit?

The button at the neck may be missing or just not there in the first place?

[brown]

Re: Snake buckle belt on E-Bay tintype picture

What about the puckering on each side of the front?
Could it be there is no leather guard backing the buckle?

[benjclark]

Re: Snake buckle belt on E-Bay tintype picture

I also like his cravat! I agree, the buttons do look to have been moved. Great image.

[PaulJ]

Re: Snake buckle belt on E-Bay tintype picture

Hi,
before the E-Bay sale disappears forever, adding more pics/ angles. Don't want to 'muddy the water' too much - and crucially I don't know what the dates of useage are for Tintypes (any experts out there?) but could this even be post-war? i.e De-mobbed soldier back in civvies but still wearing his wartime belt? Bearing in mind we'll never ever know for sure.....

Regards

[Kykeydet12]

Re: Snake buckle belt on E-Bay tintype picture

well to be honest I like his hair more. not actually unlike the way i wear mine when i mean to go party. You may be able to decifer if the jacket is civilian or not by looking at the buttons, they are deffinatly brass from the brightnes they present in the photo.

[Drygoods]

Re: Snake buckle belt on E-Bay tintype picture

for what it's worth, women also wore snakes. I've a nice gutta percha belt buckle of two snakes, as well as a woven hair breast pin of an 'S' snake. Snakes were symbols of eternal love. Think of Queen Victoria's wedding ring.;)
However, I'm not so sure that this is a snake buckle, it's tough to tell with the ebay image, but if anyone has seen other buckles like this for men, I'd sure like to hear about them.