(Confederate Adjutant General button)	The Civil War Relicman,  Harry Ridgeway
	Winchester, Virginia USA (changed hands 70 times in the Civil War!)
	I am a collector buying and selling authentic Civil War Relics
	This page updated   June 21, 2007

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Fakes, reproductions, replicas, Confederate Plate 016 "CS" two piece buckle, Haiman style copied from Virginia Historical Society

Original Haiman style plates use a distinct style of lettering, and are noted for crude workmanship including a good bit of hand finishing and often poor fitting.

F1312  Haiman CS produced by Hanover Brass

"Reproduction Haiman CS Two Piece. Marked as a reproduction. variant."

Source: ebay auction by jaglady00  Haiman CS 2 piece Belt Buckle Plate Original in the Virginia Historical Society collection Item number: 120102438562

Editor note: "jaglady00" is Hanover Brass, items sold as reproductions.

Additional photos and text posted on civilwarfakes.com, (Gary Williams webpage): 
"Photo # CS2P21 Plate 016 (Haiman Style) CS Two Piece. 49 x 77/wreath ht.48mm. GW stamped in back of tongue. From the Virginia Historical Society collection. This is one buckle that should not be faked. It is in the museum and all that I cast have the same look. STUDY."

P0968 CS two part buckle, "Haiman" style
 
 

Two part buckle manufactured by Haiman, known for unique style of lettering, pronounced vent and dip in the back of the tongue. Beautiful dug example, both halves dug together. Wonderful example of casting sprue on both pieces, typical of Haiman construction. 
Recovered: Knoxville, TN 
Tongue keeper 47.2mm
Wreath keeper 48.7mm
Wreath height  49.4mm 

Editor note:  This plate was sold by me in 2003 and recalled in 2007.  It was recalled because of the similarity to the Hanover Brass buckle above.  I originally bought the buckle from a reputable dealer who says he bought it from a reputable collector in eastern Tennessee.  That collection did not include other fakes and the collector claimed at the time that he dug the piece.  Since then he has died, and is therefore proving difficult to interview.

This buckle was sold by me in 2003, I had every reason to believe it was good, it eventually landed in the hands of a Tennessee dealer and along the way picked up a Mullinax letter certifying its authenticity.  I had also asked second opinions from several collectors when I bought it, all were positive.  I recalled the buckle, (paid the people I sold this to) and the dealer who supplied me paid me, so everybody except the maker has been honorable.  Who made this buckle or is it really a fake?  I might note that the measurements for this buckle measure considerably larger than those stated on civilwarfakes.com,  and is larger than the example below.  

F1315  CS Haiman offered (then withdrawn)  by another dealer
 
 

Editor note:  I did have occasion to examine and measure this buckle with the following results:
Tongue keeper 47.0mm
Wreath keeper 48.4mm
Wreath 49.0mm

This dealer, who is reputable clearly believed it to be authentic at the time.  I tipped him and he withdrew the buckle and returned it to its source.

Meanwhile the illustrious Gary Williams posted the following on one of the forums:
"Re: Thoughts on this one? Posted By: Gary Williams <Send E-Mail> Date: Thursday, 26 April 2007, at 2:18 p.m. In Response To: Thoughts on this one? (Ed) Look at the marks on the one I have pictured . The back of the wreath is the answer. Also the same sand marks on both the tongue and wreath. The one for sale has the body curve taken out by making it a little flat and not curved as much. This also seems to add to size. I copied my pattern from the belt plate in the Virginia Historical Society. Lets just say I would not buy it. If I call it a fake then that is another story. I am sure it has been given the blue ribbon award and that is all it needs."

Editor note:  So I guess this is an admission that he made these plates.  This latter plate clearly measures larger than his admitted to measurements for his fakes.  And I might add that there are no Hanover Brass or GW mark to be found on any of these buckles.  So who does he think he is fooling when he claims to be marking plates so the collectors are not fooled?  
Answer,  pretty much everybody!  Maybe the illustrious mr plateman would like to explain his actions.

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