Colonial Buckle? UPDATE - NEW PHOTO

[Valley Ranger]

Hey folks - need some help. I dug this yesterday at a farm site here in the Shenandoah Valley. I've previously dug an 18th century ax head at this site. Anyway, can anyone shed some light on type/period of this buckle? 2" x 1.25" (approx.) It's relatively thin for a buckle. Also, has two words on the underside of the buckle. I can only make out one - BRONZE. Thanks!

 

[DirtDigler]

Re: Colonial Buckle?

It looks like a waist belt buckle to me. I would not think it is colonial though, as they didn't use waist belts in that era. More likely 19th century, or even 20th. Nice find, either way. Can you photograph the lettering? That might help to identify it.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Re: Colonial Buckle?

It looks like a waist belt buckle to me. I would not think it is colonial though, as they didn't use waist belts in that era. More likely 19th century, or even 20th. Nice find, either way. Can you photograph the lettering? That might help to identify it.

Thanks DD. Giving it further examination, the lettering does not appear what I would think of as coming from the Colonial era. I'm going to clean it up some and see if I can get a photo of the lettering.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Re: Colonial Buckle?

It looks like a waist belt buckle to me. I would not think it is colonial though, as they didn't use waist belts in that era. More likely 19th century, or even 20th. Nice find, either way. Can you photograph the lettering? That might help to identify it.

Ok, DD - here's a close up of the stamp on the back - it says "SOLID BRONZE"

Any ideas?

 

[Silver Searcher]

Your Buckle is a single loop Buckle, being that it is made of Bronze, there is no reason it shouldn't date to 17th-18th c...The later 19th-20th c single looped Buckles usually had Iron tongues

SS

 

[Valley Ranger]

Your Buckle is a single loop Buckle, being that it is made of Bronze, there is no reason it shouldn't date to 17th-18th c...The later 19th-20th c single looped Buckles usually had Iron tongues

SS

Thanks SS! I'm curious about the lettering though - it didn't strike me as being that early . . .

 

[CrazySlasher]

Your Buckle is a single loop Buckle, being that it is made of Bronze, there is no reason it shouldn't date to 17th-18th c...The later 19th-20th c single looped Buckles usually had Iron tongues

SS

Thanks SS! I'm curious about the lettering though - it didn't strike me as being that early . . .

The lettering does not look colonial to me. Then again, I'm wrong a lot.

 

[DirtDigler]

The fonts Helvetica and Univers weren't created until the early 20th Century. This is a condensed version of one or the other, or a very similar knock-off created even later. Based on the style of the buckle and the font, my guess is still 20th century. Wish I could say differently.

 

[Valley Ranger]

The fonts Helvetica and Univers weren't created until the early 20th Century. This is a condensed version of one or the other, or a very similar knock-off created even later. Based on the style of the buckle and the font, my guess is still 20th century. Wish I could say differently.

Thanks DD - and to everyone else who commented. I appreciate the help.