Help with suspender clip

[fyrffytr1]

My friends father found this suspender part back in the 70s while MDing a fort in Florida. When he passed, my buddy got it along with all his other relics. My buddy remembers reading about an identical piece in a MDing magazine years ago but doesn't have the article. I don't have a size reference in the picture but it is about 2" wide and 1/2" tall.
He thinks that this piece had some significance in the fire department. Can anyone here shed some light on it as far as age and any importance?

 

[Felinepeachy]

Anything on the back?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Can we see a pic of the back?

 

[CRUSADER]

agreed fire department picture

 

[fyrffytr1]

There is nothing on the back except the reverse of the front. I don't have a picture but can get one.

 

[kuger]

i dug a partial of the same one,it dates back to the 1850's and was a firemens suspender buckle!!That is my favorite one in my collection and I only have about a quarter of it!!