✅ SOLVED 1920’s Farmhouse find, harness buckle?

[Rmeav8r]

From a 1920’s farmhouse. Looks like might be part of a harness or something more modern like a mop handle.....ideas? The squiggly part in the center hinges up and down. Digging tool for size reference.
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

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[creskol]

That is called a "Back Band Hook"

 

[Rmeav8r]

Thanks! I had a hunch that it was related to an animal harness or suspension straps. This area was farmed and logged late 19th and early 20th century.Happy Hunting, Joe.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

DFXScout, I agree with Creskol, who has a well-earned reputation here for being very nearly always correct in his identifications of horse equipment... your find is one of several minor variations of back-band hook. More specifically, it is from plow-harness. Back-band hooks seem to date from the very-late 1800s on into the 1900s -- and of course are still being used today. Here's a scan of a 1918 US Patent for a version of back-band hook which is similar to your find. The other scan is from a 1907 horse-equipment catalog, showing the plow-harness attribution given in the name "Plow Boy Back-Band Hook."

 

[Rmeav8r]

I’m always impressed with the knowledge here! Thanks for the research.