Please help me ID this Civil War?

[coyoteslayer]

Hello guys. Found this yesteday up prospecting here in Northern California. It has nice clear writing on it sorry the picture isn't that great but it says
Wetzlar & Taussig New York. Do you guys have any idea of what it might be? Any help would be great thanks all.

[Squishy]

Looks like the shoulder strap button for a pair of bib overalls. Just a guess. Then again, that would orient the eagle sideways, so that is probably wrong. For the eagle to be upright, it would have to go around a person horizontally. I guess I am of no help. Ha Ha!

[RelicHound]

great find! its part of a 2 piece buckle. looks to be civil war era but not sure what "Wetzlar & Taussig" is.
here is a 2 piece buckle..yours is missing a piece.
http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/...0704F02_04.jpg

[Carol K]

Wetzlar & Taussig New York

This is probably "way off" but it sounds like either a manufacturing company or old department store.

I did a patent search and found nothing unfortunately.

Wetzlar is also the name of a town in Germany.

[dutchroots]

Here's one made by a different company, but it looks very similar...

http://www.campsiteartifacts.com/mil...ushbuckle.html

Edit: Oh, hey! Read the description for this item.......

This is an excellent condition Tongue for a ca. 1855 two-piece
Buckle ! The device is a Federal Eagle with olive branch & arrows
in his talons, on a lined field, with an inner border around that, and
the outside edge has the words, " *** Pollack Brothers *** New
York." The belt loop also has a lined design on it, and entire
tongue is of thin stamped brass construction. The only tiny
damage at all, is one lower corner of the belt loop is slightly
clipped. Actually, that may have been a manufacturing flaw,
or was done in the period, as the edge of that corner has the
same nice plumb/brown patina as the rest of the tongue.
Otherwise, no cracks, breaks, repairs, or damage of any
sort. Pollack Brothers went into business in San Francisco,
in 1855, with another New York Firm, William Tasussig &
Co. In 1856, the firm was changed to simply Pollack
Brothers. It all makes sense as this tongue was excavated in
California. Tongue is approximately 2 inches by 2 inches, with
center device measuring about 1.125 inches in diameter. A
beautiful, early stamped brass tongue, from the Gold Fields
of California ! It displays great !

$295 plus shipping