Buckle help.

[Garabaldi]

I believe it says "MARCH 15(16) 1864". Also seems to have some writing on top of the date which I can't make out. Does anyone have any idea how old this is and what it would have been used for?

 

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[DirtyMike]

I am going to go with a suspender adjuster and 1864 ish.

 

[SkyPirate]

Suspender adjuster I think also!

 

[vayank54]

It's a shame you can't make out the rest. It's probably the makers name. I've never seen on like that but would lean toward it being a suspender buckle as well. It could also have gone on the adjustment strap of a vest or some other piece of clothing too.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I know this isnt the buckle but its most likely the patent. http://www.google.com/patents?id=Mx...1#v=onepage&q="MARCH 15 1864". buckle&f=false

I think its a patent date. It cant be any newer than 1879 because patents were only good for no mjore than 15 years. You could sell it as a civil war era item. Anything dated is more in demand.

 

[Garabaldi]

Bigcy, great web site. I figured it was a patent date, but interesting the buckle you found has the same date. I suspect its the same pattent being the exact date. Hope we can find an image to it. I found it in Boston and the patent was in New Jersey.
Thanks also for you insite vayank.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Bigcy, great web site. I figured it was a patent date, but interesting the buckle you found has the same date. I suspect its the same pattent being the exact date. Hope we can find an image to it. I found it in Boston and the patent was in New Jersey.

It appears to have similarities.

 

[Garabaldi]

I agree.

 

[East Coast Relics on FB]

I believe it says "MARCH 15(16) 1864". Also seems to have some writing on top of the date which I can't make out. Does anyone have any idea how old this is and what it would have been used for?

It may say "Patent" March 15, 1864. It is a suspender buckle. It is what mine reads.

 

[Red-Coat]

Old thread I know, but has been woken up. I have a few additional comments here.

The US Patent Bulletin has traditionally been published once a week on Tuesdays, with patents taking the publication date as the date they were granted. Consequently, there are patents for 15th March 1864, but not for 16th March, which was a Wednesday. So, these buckles are indeed covered by the Isaac Banister (of Newark, NJ) patent referred to above.

Also, it’s not correct that the patent would have been valid for 15 years. US design patents were originally valid for 14 years up until 1835; then with a possibility of a 7 year extension to 21 years in some circumstances up until 1860; then the extension possibility was abandoned and patents were valid for 17 years from date of issue as of 1861 up until 1994.

The original patent illustrates the buckle in use on a ladies garter but that wouldn’t have been the only use. The principles on which it works are equally applicable to other usages depending on size and shape. The Isaac Banister referred to established the Banister Shoe company with his son James Albert Banister in 1845 and they also filed patents that were specifically for use on shoes. The business still exists today and their website has some history of the company and its patents:

https://www.banistershoes.org/the-house-of-banister/isaac-banister/isaac-banister-patents.html