Pewter colonial shoe buckle...

[K1DDO1979]

I went back to the spot I found the barber quarter and dandy buttons last time and had some more luck. I found mostly the usual type of stuff like jack knives, penny’s and musket balls.The best finds of the bunch was a wwii royal canadian engineer dome button, a 1941 silver dime, a Snyder bullet and my favourite find of the day was over where I found the dandy buttons last time. It is a large pewter colonial shoe buckle. Usually pewter doesn’t hold up well underground but I found this one deep in super muddy swampy ground. The lack of oxygen must have helped preserve it so well. When I was first cleaning it up at home I thought I had a tarnished sterling silver one. Still a complete pewter one is still a rare find in my books and I’m happy to get it. The pics don’t do it justice at all. Thanks for looking! [emoji16][emoji106]

 

[VERMONTIS]

Nice finds and killer shoe buckle

 

[GB1]

nice that shoe buckle is a beaut

 

[hogge]

Awesome.

 

[port ewen ace]

shoo, you scruffy Colonist

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Awesome relic hunt, congratulations!

 

[Whyme]

Wow that's an awesome show buckle! Congrats!

 

[A2coins]

Thats is nice well done good job on the relics and silver as well

 

[xcopperstax]

I went back to the spot I found the barber quarter and dandy buttons last time and had some more luck. I found mostly the usual type of stuff like jack knives, penny’s and musket balls.The best finds of the bunch was a wwii royal canadian engineer dome button, a 1941 silver dime, a Snyder bullet and my favourite find of the day was over where I found the dandy buttons last time. It is a large pewter colonial shoe buckle. Usually pewter doesn’t hold up well underground but I found this one deep in super muddy swampy ground. The lack of oxygen must have helped preserve it so well. When I was first cleaning it up at home I thought I had a tarnished sterling silver one. Still a complete pewter one is still a rare find in my books and I’m happy to get it. The pics don’t do it justice at all. Thanks for looking! [emoji16][emoji106]
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That is a small miracle to find pewter in that condition! Nice find, Congrats!!!

 

[TomW244]

That is a beauty! Well done!

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

That buckle is in superb condition, and all the more special owing to its pewter composition with an open-work design. You don't find those every day.

 

[K1DDO1979]

That buckle is in superb condition, and all the more special owing to its pewter composition with an open-work design. You don't find those every day.

Thanks. I was initially hoping it was silver cleaning the mud off but for the fact it was lost not broken and in perfect preservation conditions and that I only ever dug brittle little pieces of them before I’m very happy with it. Hope it holds up well. Right now it is. Still looking for easy preservation tips if anyone wants to throw any out there? [emoji16][emoji106]

 

[Relicific]

That’s a top 5 buckle of 2018 here on TNet.
Congrats

 

[Steve in PA]

That's a beautiful shoe buckle. Are you sure it's pewter and not a tombac material. Just looks too nice to be pewter.

 

[K1DDO1979]

That's a beautiful shoe buckle. Are you sure it's pewter and not a tombac material. Just looks too nice to be pewter.

Well you have me there. I nicked it in a small spot with my shovel and it peeled back to show a shiny silver colour. Would tombac do that or would it be to hard? Seemed softer like pewter. I didn’t know they made shoe buckles in tombac. I’ll take a close pic of the nick and get your guys opinion! [emoji16][emoji106]

 

[K1DDO1979]

That's a beautiful shoe buckle. Are you sure it's pewter and not a tombac material. Just looks too nice to be pewter.

Thank you. Think I should take some better pics with proper lighting? [emoji16]

 

[Steve in PA]

Thank you. Think I should take some better pics with proper lighting? [emoji16]

I'm just saying that I've seen some shoe buckles made from a grey metal that definitely wasn't pewter and looked more like a tombac like alloy.

 

[K1DDO1979]

I'm just saying that I've seen some shoe buckles made from a grey metal that definitely wasn't pewter and looked more like a tombac like alloy.

Good to know. Ill still take that close up of the nick to see what you think! [emoji16][emoji106]

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Well you have me there. I nicked it in a small spot with my shovel and it peeled back to show a shiny silver colour. Would tombac do that or would it be to hard? Seemed softer like pewter. I didn’t know they made shoe buckles in tombac. I’ll take a close pic of the nick and get your guys opinion! [emoji16][emoji106]

I noticed that the last photo (bottom right) in your OP show very slight cracks where the pin terminals are located. Such cracks would be indicative of a pewter composition. I also noticed what might be a makers mark in the same photo on the side of the buckle's frame; it's in the center - possibly two inititials J & ? - or perhaps it's casting marks and my imagination. Some pewter buckles however do come with makers marks. If it's pewter, and I believe it is, I would not coat the buckle or treat it in any manner in an heavy-handed attempt at preservation as long as the buckle remains in stable state. I contacted a number of conservationist when I recovered a 17th century pewter trade pipe. I learned that the application of a sealant will cause any emerging contaminants to leech out eventually with very unfortunate results - like exploding in super-slow motion. This is just my opinion. Hopefully other will provide feedback, and you can make a decision. One last thing, a suspension case for preservation and presentation would be a wise investment. Good Luck!

 

[K1DDO1979]

I noticed that the last photo (bottom right) in your OP show very slight cracks where the pin terminals are located. Such cracks would be indicative of a pewter composition. I also noticed what might be a makers mark in the same photo on the side of the buckle's frame; it's in the center - possibly two inititials J & ? - or perhaps it's casting marks and my imagination. Some pewter buckles however do come with makers marks. If it's pewter, and I believe it is, I would not coat the buckle or treat it in any manner in an heavy-handed attempt at preservation as long as the buckle remains in stable state. I contacted a number of conservationist when I recovered a 17th century pewter trade pipe. I learned that the application of a sealant will cause any emerging contaminants to leech out eventually with very unfortunate results - like exploding in super-slow motion. This is just my opinion. Hopefully other will provide feedback, and you can make a decision. One last thing, a suspension case for preservation and presentation would be a wise investment. Good Luck!

Thanks for the info. So far it seems good and stable. I may have been wrong doing it but I rubbed a little mineral oil on it just in case and then wiped most of it right off just to keep a thin layer. I did that to a pewter button before and it didn’t seem to harm it at all. I ’m thinking it’s for sure got to be pewter as well. I seen those makers initials on it as well. Maybe a dumb question and I’m half asleep but what do you mean by suspension case