🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Opinions on buckle

[Nathan W]

First time finding a buckle with central hole and bar with teeth. Could it be saddlery or wagon/strap related? Military?

 

[creskol]

If I am not mistaken, that is a WWI era web strap buckle.

 

[sibbley]

Take it for what it's worth, but Copilot says it's a "19th century iron harness/strap adjuster used on horse tack, and the central hole is the giveaway".

I've been playing with Copilot, sometimes it's pretty good, sometimes not so much. Might be a good starting point though.

More from Copilot:

"Your piece has three defining traits:

• Iron construction — WWI web gear buckles were brass or steel with smooth machine edges.
• Two‑slot rectangular body — classic 1800s strap adjuster form.
• Large circular top hole — this is not a military feature; it’s for a riveted or stitched leather attachment tab on horse harness.

This exact configuration appears on:

• Martingale and breast strap adjusters
• Trace strap tensioners
• Saddle rigging straps
• Wagon and farm harness hardware"

 

[creskol]

Take it for what it's worth, but Copilot says it's a "19th century iron harness/strap adjuster used on horse tack, and the central hole is the giveaway".

I've been playing with Copilot, sometimes it's pretty good, sometimes not so much. Might be a good starting point though.

More from Copilot:

"Your piece has three defining traits:

• Iron construction — WWI web gear buckles were brass or steel with smooth machine edges.
• Two‑slot rectangular body — classic 1800s strap adjuster form.
• Large circular top hole — this is not a military feature; it’s for a riveted or stitched leather attachment tab on horse harness.

This exact configuration appears on:

• Martingale and breast strap adjusters
• Trace strap tensioners
• Saddle rigging straps
• Wagon and farm harness hardware"

The one defining factor is, it was made for a web strap and not leather.

 

[Nathan W]

I still cleaning it up more , hopefully they will help it become more clear

 

[Nathan W]

It's def military but old . Here's a modern version I found without the circular back section

 

[Retired Sarge]

Wonder if the circular block is an attachment point. Such as it was riveted to something.

 

[Nathan W]

Wonder if the circular block is an attachment point. Such as it was riveted to something.

Probably

 

[Retired Sarge]

I keep going back to the pictures and I'm wondering if the curved (Tombstone) piece is a separate piece that is rusted in place.

With that possibility that piece might be a webbing tip. Like seen in the following example on a M1 Garand Sling. Not saying the buckle is from a Garand sling. Lots of webbing/straps had webbing tips on them.