Wool,that is a great little buckle!One that I have not seen.I have my doubts it was a womens buckle though....well,I should say,we initially called them ladies buckles as well,but giving the fairly common occurance we note of them in remote camps that we know there were no women,and several period dagureotypes of men whereing these fancy little floral buckles,we realized that for what ever reason men were wearing these!!I am sure in your research you have noted the scarcity of a woman in your camps as well?