✅ SOLVED Help on dating buckle

[Sklybones]

Found this buckle out side of an old gold mining town.I think it's a two piece buckle and would like to know if anyone can place a date on it..

 

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[CC Hunter]

Your find is indeed part of a two-piece Tongue & Wreath style belt buckle. These buckles are made of die stamped rolled brass, and date from the 1850's. This particular design featuring an upright eagle, clutching arrows and an olive branch on a lined field, surrounded by a rope border, is commonly referred to as the "Stamped Brass Rope Border Eagle Buckle" by collectors. There are actually three outer wreaths, that are the correct fit and match for this particular buckle center tongue. The most commonly encountered wreath, is entirely plain and smooth. The next wreath features a lined or reeded edge design (much like the edge of a coin). The rarest outer wreath, and one that provides a clue to origin on these particular buckles, is one marked Bondy Brothers & Co., on the belt loop.

From historical accounts, we have the following information on Bondy Brothers & Co:

Joseph & Adolph Bondy, Bondy Brothers & Co., New York City
Addresses: 126 William (1852), 162-163 William (1853-54), 73 William (1856-58)

The brothers originally began their business dealing in liquor in 1849, then by 1851 they were manufacturing belts. By 1852, they expanded into military goods, as well as manufacturers of belts, gloves, and shirts into the early 1860's.


CC Hunter

 

[Sklybones]

CC hunter thank you for your reply and quick response..god I love this site...Only one question your pictures look like your buckles may be bigger..would that make a difference..Or do you think they are basically the same..I believe this came from a military group sent out of Independence Ca. during the Civil war to keep peace in the town that once held the county seat for Nevada and California at the same time until the border was finally drawn..during which there were north and south problems...just some info to let you know the area it was found...

 

[CC Hunter]

Sklybones,

Your Stamped Brass Rope Border Eagle Buckle tongue piece, is precisely the same size as the ones in the photos that I posted (check out my quarter coin for reference, same as yours). The wreaths in my photos will fit your tongue just perfect. The belts also had an adjustment slide, as noted in the photo of the complete buckles in hand.

There are some stamped brass Tongue & Wreath buckles that are a bit larger than these commonly seen Rope Border Eagles, and there is even a smaller size in fact. This particular size and style as you have found and are featured in my photos above, are the most commonly encountered of all the stamped brass Tongue & Wreath buckles. A few rarer varieties including the larger size style, are shown below.

I had a hunch you found the buckle where you describe. Dawn rises there much like a beautiful goddess. A couple other Tongue & Wreath buckle tongues were also found there years ago that I have seen, and incidentally they are the same Rope Border Eagle design and even broken as well. These buckles are not military related, although it is quite possible they were at times worn by various militia groups.


CC Hunter