Biconcave Gorget Marion County Ohio

[joshuaream]

I occasionally add items to my slate collection when I get a chance.

Here is a biconcave gorget from Marion County Ohio. These are pretty thick and hefty, and mostly drilled from one side.

It’s very well documented. It has been in a bunch of collections over the years and is pictured as a type example in Ohio Slate Types by Robert Converse.

 

[joshuaream]

Very nice is the pedigree long and can you say?

-X Phil Kientz, Jack Hooks, Helman & Root - Pict. Ohio Slate Types pg. 47 in 1970 & WW # 8 pg. 116 - #221 from 1992.

I need to go through some other books to track down a couple of gaps. I’ve got an article from 1952 with it pictured in the Herbert Wachtel collection, but I don’t think it’s in the Who’s Who 2 book he published in the 1960’s. There are some other faint collector marks on it. Piecing together the history on these is part of the fun to me. (I’d rather find ‘em, but adding old ones is a good as I’m going to get for a while.)

I also picked up a couple of pieces from the Gordon Meuser collection, so Christmas was kind to me this year.

 

[Bumpstick]

Nice it looks nice and smooth to the touch. I like the piece.

 

[rock]

Beautiful piece

 

[scotto]

Great example Joshua, thanks for the pics.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Joshua, your thread motivated me to do a little work. I mentioned I thought these gorgets were belt buckles. I have a 2-hole slate gorget I made many years ago. I got some leather and attached the gorget and made a belt. After making this, which I've wanted to do for a long time, I'm more convinced than ever these were buckles. Occum's Razor states that the simplest explanation for something is usually correct. Nothing could be simpler than this rig. The gorget, a belt, and one piece of shoestring leather 4" long. That's it. Simple, strong and useful. (It's a bit too small for me. I need to lengthen it a little.) Gary

 

[joshuaream]

Gary, that makes a lot more sense. I was thinking the gorget would slide on a string, which is why I mentioned the polish.

Good idea and example!

 

[arrow86]

Belt buckle does seem to make sense I think it was some type of decorative clothing item

 

[dognose]

That gorget has very nice lines, the banding is pronounced.


Where was this pictured in 1952?

 

[Buckleberry]

That's a very interesting theory...I wonder if the wear pattern on the holes match up to authentic examples after you've worn it for some time.
I have a slate pendant I found last year with an odd pattern of wear on the holes, leading me to believe it wasn't just hanging off a thong on the neck.

Joshua, your thread motivated me to do a little work. I mentioned I thought these gorgets were belt buckles. I have a 2-hole slate gorget I made many years ago. I got some leather and attached the gorget and made a belt. After making this, which I've wanted to do for a long time, I'm more convinced than ever these were buckles. Occum's Razor states that the simplest explanation for something is usually correct. Nothing could be simpler than this rig. The gorget, a belt, and one piece of shoestring leather 4" long. That's it. Simple, strong and useful. (It's a bit too small for me. I need to lengthen it a little.) Gary

View attachment 1663137View attachment 1663138View attachment 1663139View attachment 1663140

 

[joshuaream]

That gorget has very nice lines, the banding is pronounced.


Where was this pictured in 1952?

A couple of the local chapters of the Arch Society of Ohio used to put out news letters, I’ve got a pile of them that I got at an Old Barn auction a bunch of years ago that are great for things like this. The pictures aren’t great, but one of the ones from 1952 has a frame of gorgets owned by Wachtel that shows this piece and the banding.

 

[A2coins]

Great piece that is really cool.