Colonial buckles?

[Gene Mean]

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Wondering if anyone knows what century/era these two buckles could be from?

 

[villagenut]

The one on the right looks like a shoe buckle from the late 1700s.

 

[Gene Mean]

Found the one on right along British retreat route during Revolutionary War. Can I make the leap that this is British military?

 

[gunsil]

Conjecture is useless. It is a Rev period buckle but to surmise that it is Brit military is wishful thinking. You found a cool buckle, I love finding them, but to others they have little monetary value and assumptions are just that. Now go back and find a Brit regimental button and you will know for sure that is is a Rev Brit button likely from the retreat.

 

[Gene Mean]

Thanks gunsil.

 

[Scrappy]

I wouldn't worry too much about provenance as a couple of these guys mention. Shoe buckles were very popular back then and everyone was dropping them, so even if a button was found nearby, well....

The buckle is a kettle chape style, generally regarded as 1790 and earlier. Some say thicker buckles were used by British military, but I've never heard that beyond here-say. I've personally found almost that exact style buckle in a British encampment. Here it is:

Again it's difficult to prove that this buckle came from a soldier even from my known encampment site. Yours dates closely to the Revolution so, if you feel like it fits, so be it. Of course it can never be proven but it makes a great story.

 

[Gene Mean]

Thanks Scrappy. Good info. I just want to be able to say this could be Colonial, British, etc... I didn't know if Brits used this type.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very nice find! I believe the date would fall between 1720 - 1790.