Lion Head Buckle any Ideas??

[jimmy uk]

found this buckle today its a buckle with a Lions head on it any one know what itis?

 

[shaun7]

Hello mate, how big is it?

 

[jimmy uk]

hi mate its 5cm by 4.5cm so not that big

 

[hammered]

Nice find jimmy , from what I can tell it's a Lion Head Snakebelt Clasp, just a guess though. I can't find an exact match on UKDFD, although there are a few similar ones to look at, I did find this link that has this photograph.

http://www.militarymetalwork.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=MC200

 

[IronSpike]

Nice find jimmy , from what I can tell it's a Lion Head Snakebelt Clasp, just a guess though. I can't find an exact match on UKDFD, although there are a few similar ones to look at, I did find this link that has this photograph.

http://www.militarymetalwork.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=MC200

I agree Here's another still not a perfect match:

http://2nd95thrifles.myfastforum.org/sutra4751.php

 

[shaun7]

Nice find jimmy , from what I can tell it's a Lion Head Snakebelt Clasp, just a guess though. I can't find an exact match on UKDFD, although there are a few similar ones to look at, I did find this link that has this photograph.

http://www.militarymetalwork.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=MC200

Well done mate

 

[jimmy uk]

thanks people great help

do you think theres any point giving it a proper clean to see if the gilding is still there?

 

[hammered]

thanks people great help

do you think theres any point giving it a proper clean to see if the gilding is still there?

I'm not saying you should do this, but if it were me, I would give it a nice long soak in distilled or deionised water, then a gentle rub with a soft bristled brush. At this point, with the aid of a jewellers loop, you should be able to see if there is any gilding left.

 

[Iron Patch]

thanks people great help

do you think theres any point giving it a proper clean to see if the gilding is still there?

Judging by how it looks there's probably not much on it. The black is probably the surface of the base metal. But I have been surprised before!

 

[Eivin]

Same bucle in Norway

And one found in Bergen Norway

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The problem for accurately time-dating Lion-Head buckles is that they've been made in several countries, and date at least as far back as the 1700s, on up into the 20th-Century . For example, here's a photo identified as a World War Two era Russian Navy officer's daggerbelt. Note its actual belt-buckle, at upper left, and its other end, at lower right.

Even so, since you dug yours in Essex, it is almost certainy a British-made one.