Silver Knee Buckle or Shoe Buckle?

[cheffer]

Since Joe refuses to learn how to use a computer I guess I'll have to post his recent find. We hit some untouched woods Saturday in one of the small towns here in Berkshire County, not much to find except ACOJoe pulled this beauty out of the ground:





No hallmarks, but it's definitely solid silver. Is it a shoe buckle or a knee buckle? Any idea of the age?

If you think it's a nice find, please nag Joe to post a cleaned up pic!

HH,
Steve

 

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[mirage83]

Not really my period, but I'd say a shoe buckle. Really nice one at that. Good find.

 

[Silvermonkey]

Great buckle Joe! I'm thinking a mid 1700's knee buckle. The fact that its silver is fantastic. We must see more pics of this buckle, post cleaning!!!!

 

[Aureus]

Amazing 18th century knee buckle. They are rarely seen on this forum, congratulations to your friend!

 

[devldog]

Great find on the beautiful knee buckle. Congrat's to you on a nice artifact. Post some pic's if you will of this buckle cleaned up. We will look forward to seeing this once again. This piece will look great displayed. Very nice save.

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Very good of you to post it for a friend. You don't often see solid silver knee or shoe buckles posted on T-Net. Fabulous find.

P.S. - From one 20-cent digger to another - I'm a great admirer of your banner finds.

 

[cheffer]

Very good of you to post it for a friend. You don't often see solid silver knee or shoe buckles posted on T-Net. Fabulous find.

P.S. - From one 20-cent digger to another - I'm a great admirer of your banner finds.

Right back at you Silver Tree, every time I see one of your awesome posts I ask myself "do I got Mass Silver?" So far the answer is NO, but I'll never stop trying!

 

[Joe-Dirt]

Wow, that knee buckle is sweet, tell Joey to clean her up and post some more pictures. I will donate my time and teach him how, but I get the buckle as payment

 

[ticndig]

well it looks like ole Joe knows how to use his computer on a stick quite well, great find.

 

[CASPER-2]

I think it might be a sash buckle or actual colonial belt buckle - its not very big and most shoe & knee's have a curve to them
it looks flat - silver knee and shoes ones i found all have a curve - even if slight - even the silver ones

 

[Brendan75]

Hi, wow great find. Congrats

 

[Digger RJ]

Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[secondstar]

Cheffer, ACOJoe, and I hunt together all the time. I spoke with Joe this morning, I will be giving him computer lessons as apparently he doesn't need metal detecting lessons!

 

[Steve in PA]

Beautiful buckle I'm leaning towards knee buckle on that one.

 

[A2coins]

Thats a great score

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Great find, should clean up real nice!

 

[Ahab8]

Joe please post a cleaned pic! That find is too damn good not to see before and afters of. I’m saying knee buckle

 

[mirage83]

Joe please post a cleaned pic! That find is too damn good not to see before and afters of. I’m saying knee buckle

So help a guy out who's unlikely to ever unearth one... What are the differences in size & shape between shoe and knee buckles? I'll never dig one in all likelihood, would just like to know for my own sake. Thanks...

 

[Ahab8]

So help a guy out who's unlikely to ever unearth one... What are the differences in size & shape between shoe and knee buckles? I'll never dig one in all likelihood, would just like to know for my own sake. Thanks...

It’s less about size and more about the orientation of the pin within the buckle frame. While most shoe buckles are much bigger than knee buckles it’s not a rule per se. I have found children’s shoe buckles that are quite small and some of the really old ones are tiny as well. Generally on a knee buckle the pin will go across the long part of the frame. On a shoe buckle the pin normally goes across the smaller part of the frame. I’m not an expert by any means but here’s a few pics that will show the orientation of the pin to the frame and a size reference in my hand of some late 18th Century shoe buckles. I also took a pic from my Whitehead buckle book to show the knee buckles.

 

[CRUSADER]

Its a large Knee Buckle, like others have stated. Very nice to get it in silver!