Beautifully Ornate Colonial Shoe Buckle

[Erik in NJ]

Spent a couple of hours back at the colonial house and it continued to yield some great relics and a semi-key date coin! This was a deep signal that was under a large root and I was getting frustrated trying to find it as it indicated shallowed than it was due to its size. I figured it was junk and didn't dig carefully in my frustration, somehow I managed not to hit or destroy it with my shovel--probably thanks to the big root. I finally saw it on edge and worked it out slowly by hand. I got very excited when it appeared to be an old colonial shoe buckle! My first.

At home I washed it in soap and water and it began to show signs of what appeared to be gilt. After a few treatments with Al jelly, it revealed a beautifully ornate silver plated buckle! Notice the four crimps on the bar in the center which is stationary.

Any more info on this buckle would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Erik in NJ]

That's actually an interesting example.
I have found a few different decorative square frame buckles like yours except there's a solid flat brass bar going through the middle.
Yours has a (ferrous?) wire through the middles and two fasteners on the sides. Same decorative square frame but different fasteners.
Mine would date to the late 19th/early 20th century but yours is probably older. I don't think colonial but pretty close.
I could dig mine out and take a picture if you wish.
Great find!
Cheers,
Dave.

Thanks Dave, I would love to see some examples of your square frame buckles if you don't mind. So would this be considered to be a sash buckle? I wonder if there's a definitive book out there on the evolution of buckles over the years.

 

[granthansen]

In enjoying this post as I'm learning a lot. Methinks Erik probably ordered that book already

 

[Erik in NJ]

Yes I did! Now we need to find some good reference books on shoe, knee, and sash buckles! Buckleboy? Anyone else??

 

[NJLargeCent]

I hope you get a definitive age, but regardless, a great relic for display. Nice digs!

 

[Lcb24kt]

Beautiful Buckle! Congrats!

 

[Muddyhandz]

Eric,
I've been digging through my boxes and I'm becoming frustrated as I know I have a square frame buckle with almost the same design but with a straight bar across like this one.......

Which means nothing here!
I'll keep looking.
I did find this odd ferrous buckle with a brass insert that has broken teeth like yours.

It came from a mid 19th century site.
Next time I open my mouth, I'll make sure the item I'm thinking about is in my hand!
I do have dozens Victorian buckles that have the exact same side fasteners like yours.
I'll keep you posted.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Eric,
I've been digging through my boxes and I'm becoming frustrated as I know I have a square frame buckle with almost the same design but with a straight bar across like this one.......
View attachment 753590
Which means nothing here!
I'll keep looking.
I did find this odd ferrous buckle with a brass insert that has broken teeth like yours.
View attachment 753591
It came from a mid 19th century site.
Next time I open my mouth, I'll make sure the item I'm thinking about is in my hand!
I do have dozens Victorian buckles that have the exact same side fasteners like yours.
I'll keep you posted.

The first picture is a Slide, or adjuster. Buckles were meant to be locked into place, there is a difference between them.

SS

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thank you Muddyhandz for you kind efforts in digging through your buckles and posting those examples! You mentioned broken teeth on mine, but it doesn't seem like there are any teeth actually broken on it. The round bar which you noticed is attached to the frame seems to have 4 crimped areas that still contain the silver plating. Any ideas how or what they were used for?

SS - thanks for the additional info! So do you think my item was a buckle or a slide? It would seem that the 4 crimped areas on the bar are there to catch whatever material this thing was applied to. The floral design, although there are not too many flowers on it that I can see make me think it was used by a woman. Do you think there was anything else fastened around the bar (tongues) that might have rusted away? By the way, are either of you guys familiar with any good reference books on buckles/slides?

 

[Silver Searcher]

Thank you Muddyhandz for you kind efforts in digging through your buckles and posting those examples! You mentioned broken teeth on mine, but it doesn't seem like there are any teeth actually broken on it. The round bar which you noticed is attached to the frame seems to have 4 crimped areas that still contain the silver plating. Any ideas how or what they were used for?

SS - thanks for the additional info! So do you think my item was a buckle or a slide? It would seem that the 4 crimped areas on the bar are there to catch whatever material this thing was applied to. The floral design, although there are not too many flowers on it that I can see make me think it was used by a woman. Do you think there was anything else fastened around the bar (tongues) that might have rusted away? By the way, are either of you guys familiar with any good reference books on buckles/slides?

Erik I think yours is a light Buckle, you can see were the 4 prongs were, and was proberbly used on a ladies sash, more decrative, than functional.

You can find quite a bit information on buckles here. UK Finds Database - - - UKDFD

SS

 

[Don In South Jersey]

That is one beauty of a buckle. It appears that site may have more to reveal!!!

 

[Erik in NJ]

That is one beauty of a buckle. It appears that site may have more to reveal!!!

Thanks Don, this site has produced some wonderful Colonial and Victorian items so far! I haven't done a group photo, but you can search my user name as I have been working this site since the fall and posting here. There's still a lot of ground to cover there with some careful gridding as this property is a bit of a time capsule.

 

[detroitdigger]

Nice buckle,what was the sim key date coin?

 

[Erik in NJ]

Nice buckle,what was the sim key date coin?

Hi DD -- it was an 1869 IH cent! Here's the link to the thread:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...nial-house-suprise-semi-key-1869-ih-cent.html

Looks like it was in gorgeous shape when dropped...too bad our northern NJ soil is so harsh to have caused some pitting as it it has a full "LIBERTY" in the headband.