colonial shoe buckle??

[arrowhead82]

Found near a known civil war site. We did have some colonial french occupation here, but not very much. Any ideas on origin, age, type etc... I believe that there is a bird on the top part. maybe a peacock or something? thanks in advance!

 

[CC Hunter]

The buckle is late Victorian era, I believe, rather than American Colonial. Note where the center attachments are soldered on the two shorter sides. A Colonial Period shoe buckle will be pinned inside the metal, rather than soldered on. Also on a shoe buckle, the center bar attachment will be on the long sides of the rectangle, rather than the two short sides. The fine details on this item are also the result of machine stamping, which places the time period into the Industrial Revolution or later. Likely a women's fashion buckle from a decorative cloth belt.

Here is a similar style of Victorian buckle:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...lonial-era-frame-buckle-question-about-2.html



CC Hunter

 

[arrowhead82]

those look wider and skinnier than mine. if it was to be one of those what would you guess the age to be? like 1860s, 50s, 70s etc

 

[CC Hunter]

My impression is 1860's or even later, into the Turn-of-the-Century. With the center portion missing, it is rather difficult to even say with 100% certainty if this item was indeed a buckle. There are similar pins for clothing, as well as hair pins of the era, that have about the same shape.


CC Hunter