Solid Silver Colonial Shoe Buckle

[SouthJerseyJim]

Solid *Tombac* Colonial Shoe Buckle

My brother and I scouted a new set of fields that I have been researching and it paid off big time. The grounds are still so dry in NJ and its hard to pull a decent signal at any depth but this new field definitely has potential. This buckle was a solid 12" in the ground mixed with iron,burnt wood, ceramics, brick and oyster shell. Nearby was the KGII. I hunt primarily farm fields and to find a whole shoe buckle is a daunting task as it is but to find a whole SILVER one is something else. It has a faint makers mark but unsure of the maker. Tombacs and a clog clasp were also nearby. Needless to say after some rain we will be heading back promptly to see what signals will be revealed after a nice soaking rain!

Beautiful Patina



Up close of makers mark



Dig hole with burnt ash,brick



Group finds including colonial casio watch....

 

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[pepperj]

It's the Colossal Colonial Casio that should be the headliner! Certainly a WTF moment digging that one beside the other finds.

Seriously that's one killer shoe buckle you dug up, congrats! Very worthy of being up top of the page and in any display case of colonial display.

 

[Mzjavert]

Incrediburgable! That buckel could be in a museum.

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on some great finds

 

[vpnavy]

..: NICE FIND Jim :..
Thanks for sharing!​

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Outstanding find love that buckle !
Gary

 

[Mr. Digger]

That is one special buckle. Good luck with the ID on the makers mark.

 

[RVRoamer74]

Very nice buckle and other nice finds too. Wishing you GL after some rain...just no telling on old ground like that...Excellent !!!

 

[hogge]

WOW JIM! Awesome find! Could be Banner Worthy!

 

[against the wind]

As had been said,, "Museum Quality Buckle"
Banner

 

[Tpmetal]

you sure that its solid silver Never heard of a solid silver shoe buckle before.

 

[Carolina Tom]

I am also slightly confused by the solid silver part. It doesn't look silver... looks like brass... but I'm often off base.

It is a killer find sir, congrats.

 

[Tpmetal]

I am also slightly confused by the solid silver part. It doesn't look silver... looks like brass... but I'm often off base.

It is a killer find sir, congrats.

I was thinking tombac, but either way still a great cool buckle.

 

[SouthJerseyJim]

Thanks fellas still excited about it. I could see the confusion about it being silver but they did not stamp brass/copper buckles. Its very heavy and is super clean compared to the brass buckle pieces next to it which are brass. It has a deep grayish black patina and has that "ting" to it. I even scratched a little bit of it to verify. Id imagine i could really get it to shine but I couldnt do that to the patina. Its what gives it character. I believe the makers mark is (I S). From what im seeing in this style its most likely british and around 1770 era. There are a number of J first name and S last name smiths from that era.

 

[Aureus]

Amazing find! Big congratulations!

 

[digging440yrs]

Great finds ! The colonial wrist watch is on my bucket list

 

[wagbert]

Beautiful Banner Buckle ! Very cool artifact. Whoever lost that buckle had some "loot in the suit'. I can't imagine someone not noticing they had lost that big piece of silver. Perhaps they were being chased.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Nothing like seeing a gorgeous buckle like that next to a $5 timex watch frame hopefully more to follow- congrats

 

[toasted]

Nice find. While I usually prefer to leave the original patina on a find, I think this one would look great all shined up if it is indeed silver. I have seen a non silver colonial buckle marked but it is definitely not common. It may just be the lighting in your photo. I recently dug an old ring that is probably silver but has a similar dark patina.

 

[scruggs]

It’s a SPECTACULAR find!!!