A restored rare ladies "gold belt buckle" & other recent gold finds!

[Ironman!]

Hello Fellow TNet Forumites,

I know it has been awhile (all of 2013 until now) but "Life" has been happening with a death in the family, struggles at work, drama with friends, etc. I just decided to focus on my loved ones in their time of need and be the best friend for my friends in their time of need. "Time" was a factor and being on the forums as much as I was in the past just wasn't a priority anymore. Thank You for understanding! Now on to my post!!!

First and foremost, this is not a recent find. It was found in 2012 but due to the above mentioned life happenings, got acted on recently with the encouragement of my hunting partner CC Hunter. CC told me about Leonard Short and his amazing skills of restoring CW, RW, buckles & buttons. After seeing his work, I made the contact, sent the buckle off, and now have it back! Thanks CC for the info.!!!

I just got back my restored ladies gold belt buckle from "Leonard Short Designs" a few days ago and thought that I would share it with my fellow forumites on TNet. When I sent it to him it had a gouge on one corner and it was smashed flat the day I recovered it out of the ground. It had a minute amount of enameling in the bar and the clasp on the reverse needed to be replaced. Leonard worked his very talented skills and restored it to it's original state which I am very well pleased with! Thank You again Leonard!! Here are before and after pictures along with a picture of a CDV (carte de visite ) I own of a young woman wearing a similar buckle. I also am attaching a link to the patent to the belt clasp on the reverse of the buckle. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that it is stamped with the maker & patent date on the reverse!!! W BOHMS PATENT JAN 27 1863 How cool is that!!!!
Patent Images
Kudos again go to Leonard Short for his amazing skills!

Has anyone else ever seen one of these found or posted of having been found in the past? I have been told by quite a few people that this is quite a unique and rare piece!!

I am also attaching pics. of two other very recent gold finds...a cuff link & an 1843 $5 gold coin (sorry about pics., they were taken in the field on an overcast day)!!!!! This makes my 7th gold coin found and the 4th found in 3 yrs. 11 months!!!!!!!

Thanks For Looking!
IM

 

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[SusanMN]

That is one gorgeous buckle!

 

[Argentium]

Absolutely beautiful buckle ! Amazing restoration !!! Have you established the gold content/purity of the buckle , last but not least
what are the other gold coins you have found ?

 

[jewelerguy]

beautiful!

 

[ironhorse]

That's a pile of gold for sure!

You are fortunate to get that much under your coil

 

[Ironman!]

QUOTE=SusanMN;3928422]That is one gorgeous buckle![/QUOTE]

Thank You Susan!

Absolutely beautiful buckle ! Amazing restoration !!! Have you established the gold content/purity of the buckle , last but not least
what are the other gold coins you have found ?

Thanks Argentium! No I haven't established the gold content. I just know from research that this jeweler from S.F. did make these buckles in gold in different varieties. I probably should have done the test before sending it off but I didn't. This will be a piece that will be handed down to my kids and hopefully their kids as time passes!
The other 6 gold coins are 1847 O $2 1/2, 1846 $5, 1865 S $5, 1870 S $5, 1871 CC $5, & an 1883 S $20!!!!!!!

beautiful!

Thanks!

That's a pile of gold for sure!

You are fortunate to get that much under your coil

Thanks ironhorse! Yes I have been very blessed over the years!! I work very hard at it too!!!

IM

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Wow! Leonard did a great job on restoring your buckle Larry!
I'd like to contact him about resurrecting this one and only knapsack badge I found a couple of weeks ago.

Would you be so kind as to PM me his contact information.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[masterjedi]

Hey IM,
Yes you have always been the guy that has always went the extra mile/s in research & time in the field to find the really great treasures. This gold buckle must be very rare. You would have had to been very wealthy in those days to have a gold belt buckle. Think about it, how many people have a gold belt buckle today? So great of a find. 7 gold coins, now your just showing off We all wish we just could find (1) in a lifetime. Great for you!
Gary in Oregon...

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

Fantastic gold! Leonard repaired a GW Button for me a couple of years ago. His skills are amazing!!

Hoping you and your family find health and happiness in the new year.

VPR

 

[g-olden years]

Wonderful finds & beautiful restoration! Hope you, your entire family and your friends all enjoy a serene and happily adventurous New Year! Andi

 

[Ahab8]

Wow those are some dream finds right there! That buckle is just amazing. You obviously put some serious time into researching great spots and the results are very very impressive. Thanks for showing us those nice finds

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Glad things have settled down for you and you once again have time to pursue this hobby.
That is an awesome belt buckle and an absolutely phenomenal restoration job, kudos!

If you get a chance can you please post pics of your previously found gold coins, it gives me inspiration!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Absolutely stunning, my friend. What was already a special find was made even more special by the excellent restoration. Is he a metal worker, relic restorer? I am wondering if he is able to straighten/reconnect broken dug silver items.

Congrats on your excellent finds. That's a beautiful post full of glittery OLD gold!

-Buck

 

[Ironman!]

Wow! Leonard did a great job on restoring your buckle Larry!
I'd like to contact him about resurrecting this one and only knapsack badge I found a couple of weeks ago.

Would you be so kind as to PM me his contact information.

Thanks,
Dave

Thanks Dave! I will go ahead and give you the info. here so everyone else can get it too.!! He is that good!!!

He will do an amazing restoration job for you! Wait till ya see what he did with my 3 pewter RW buttons!!

Leonard Short Designs
540-230-5442
[email protected]

Larry

 

[Ironman!]

Hey IM,
Yes you have always been the guy that has always went the extra mile/s in research & time in the field to find the really great treasures. This gold buckle must be very rare. You would have had to been very wealthy in those days to have a gold belt buckle. Think about it, how many people have a gold belt buckle today? So great of a find. 7 gold coins, now your just showing off We all wish we just could find (1) in a lifetime. Great for you!
Gary in Oregon...

Thanks Gary for the kudos & kind words! Yes, this buckle is that rare and I was kind of surprised with the little feedback I got when it was originally posted. Thanks Dave, (ANTIQUARIAN) for rejuvenating it! Also Gary, I am actually up to my 8th gold coin now, having found another one in April of this year! It was an 1871 S $5 in a pretty worn condition compared to the rest of my gold coins. I enclosed field pics. of the latest gold coin along with a pic. of the buckle along with other relics dug that day back in 2012. Thanks again for sharing and understanding the rarity and historical impact this buckle is screaming of!!

IM

 

[Ahab8]

I'm assuming the gold coins were all found in the same area? Or no? That's quite a little spot and you must have hammered that area searching for that elusive next one. That's an impressive haul

 

[BuckleBoy]

P.S.--Banner nomination sent. IMO the restoration of a find should not disqualify it for banner placement because the find would necessarily be not as recent. The restoration IS recent, so I nominated the restored buckle to go up top. I've never gotten a banner for finding pieces of the only Spanish Colonial cap badge ever dug in the United States, but if I ever find all the pieces of it and have it restored, it would be a shame for the restoration after the fact to disqualify it. We need better rules than simply "it must be recent," because it would disqualify rare, valuable, beautiful, and historical finds from the banner, esp. if they are dug in damaged condition (plowed fields, which many of us hunt!), in need of restoration, or dug in pieces. The only restoration which I can recall ever making the banner was Don in SJ's restoration of an old daguerrotype, likely because he did the restoration very quickly and did it himself.

 

[Ironman!]

Fantastic gold! Leonard repaired a GW Button for me a couple of years ago. His skills are amazing!!

Hoping you and your family find health and happiness in the new year.

VPR

Yes, I was very impressed with the work I had seen him do on many buckles & buttons before I sent in my buckle! Congrats on digging the GW button!! Wishing you and your family all the best for the new year as well!!!

IM

Wonderful finds & beautiful restoration! Hope you, your entire family and your friends all enjoy a serene and happily adventurous New Year! Andi

Thank you very much! I am sure we will and may you and your family have a great new year as well!!
IM

Wow those are some dream finds right there! That buckle is just amazing. You obviously put some serious time into researching great spots and the results are very very impressive. Thanks for showing us those nice finds

Thanks Ahab! Yes, everything you said is true...research and time in the field are the keys!! Your welcome!!! And to answer your other question 3 of the 8 were found in about a 1/2 mile area of each other individually. The other 5 were also found individually, but hundreds of miles away from each other!

IM

Glad things have settled down for you and you once again have time to pursue this hobby.
That is an awesome belt buckle and an absolutely phenomenal restoration job, kudos!

If you get a chance can you please post pics of your previously found gold coins, it gives me inspiration!

Thank you very much for the kind words! I do get out when I can, but just don't post as much as I used to for personal reasons.
IM

Absolutely stunning, my friend. What was already a special find was made even more special by the excellent restoration. Is he a metal worker, relic restorer? I am wondering if he is able to straighten/reconnect broken dug silver items.

Congrats on your excellent finds. That's a beautiful post full of glittery OLD gold!

-Buck

Thanks Buck! Yes I believe he has a jeweler's background but am not positive. I was told that he was the one who designed and made this ring for the GNRS hunt I attended back in 2004. That was my biggest reasoning and the previous work he did on others to as why I sent the buckle to him and not my other choices. Contact him and see what he says! Thanks again for the kudos my friend!!

IM

 

[Ironman!]

P.S.--Banner nomination sent. IMO the restoration of a find should not disqualify it for banner placement because the find would necessarily be not as recent. The restoration IS recent, so I nominated the restored buckle to go up top. I've never gotten a banner for finding pieces of the only Spanish Colonial cap badge ever dug in the United States, but if I ever find all the pieces of it and have it restored, it would be a shame for the restoration after the fact to disqualify it. We need better rules than simply "it must be recent," because it would disqualify rare, valuable, beautiful, and historical finds from the banner, esp. if they are dug in damaged condition (plowed fields, which many of us hunt!), in need of restoration, or dug in pieces. The only restoration which I can recall ever making the banner was Don in SJ's restoration of an old daguerrotype, likely because he did the restoration very quickly and did it himself.

Thanks Buck for the vote! I appreciate you and Gary (masterjedi) understanding and the realization of just how rare this find is. If it goes beyond this then great. I am just as happy knowing along with a couple of other guys that it is banner worthy more so than my 8 gold coins!! I made a comment when my Model 1851 Colt Navy Revolver made banner that it was one of my top 10 finds. This buckle is also one of them as well!!!

I purchased another buckle off from ebay that was a close match but not exact, with the same makers marks on back. Here it is next to my buckle before I sent my buckle in for restoration.

Once you find all the pieces for your Spanish Colonial cap and have it restored you have my vote! I remember just how rare that is!!

IM

 

[dirtlooter]

very beautiful, bet that buckle was quickly missed