Not positive, but think buckle.

[DigDugNY]

Friend found this, but can’t figure out the age of it. Tried looking it up, but didn’t see anything. Just curious if someone has anymore info.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Buckle cover.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Fyrffytr1 is correct. More specifically... your find is a Mosman's Patent 1879 "buckle-shield." The life of a standard US Patent is 17 years, so all of these buckle-shields made during the 17 years between 1879 and 1896 were marked "Pat. Dec 16, 1879" -- and ones made after the Patent expired are unmarked. See Mr. Mosman's original US Patent application & diagram, attached below, and a scan from an 1895 Montgomery-Ward horsegear catalog selling them (which mis-spelled Mosman's name), and a photo showing a Patent-marked one.

 

[DigDugNY]

Fyrffytr1 is correct. More specifically... your find is a Mosman's Patent 1879 "buckle-shield." The life of a standard US Patent is 17 years, so all of these buckle-shields made during the 17 years between 1879 and 1896 were marked "Pat. Dec 16, 1879" -- and ones made after the Patent expired are unmarked. See Mr. Mosman's original US Patent application & diagram, attached below, and a scan from an 1895 Montgomery-Ward horsegear catalog selling them (which mis-spelled Mosman's name), and a photo showing a Patent-marked one.

thank you so much! Very helpful info!

 

[CRUSADER]

Yeap, also called a Buckle protector

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

You guys beat me to the I.D. again!
Here are a few 'later' examples I found at an old inner city park where a horse paddock was located from 1905 - 20.

Dave

 

[Hawks88]

Wow! That ID didn’t take long. Congrats

 

[A2coins]

That's a cool relic