Solid Silver 18th Century Shoe Buckle, Unusual Button, Spanish Silver, Nipple Button

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Here are some of my recent finds. This is my first post for 2014.



The site that produced those gold cufflinks from last year is still producing some quality finds – a solid silver shoe buckle frame. The owner of the long-gone country estate that once stood on the site was the 2nd wealthiest person in the colony back in the 1760’s. The decorative buckle is small in size and probably belonged to woman or a child. The steel chape & tongue rusted out long ago. It cleaned up really well. It has no maker’s marks. I’ve found buckles with silver gilt on the front, but this is my very first solid silver buckle!







I initially judged the octagonal button to date near the late-18th Century, and any other earlier dating is just wishful thinking. Please let me know your opinion with a reality check. 18th Century - Right?

While the site has produced material dating up to the mid-19th Century, other finds specifically dating from the mid-to-late 17th Century are fairly well-represented. If you check the provided link, finds-UK, similar octagonal buttons are dated from 1600-1700. Is their dating wrong?

Record ID: NLM-11A8E7 - POST MEDIEVAL button - Database

The button is made from a copper alloy with silver gilt. Surprisingly, the button was hand-decorated after being produced, as the silver finish was lost in applying the engraved markings . I did see some similarities in the style of decoration from brass bracelets used by the Niantic Tribe of Southwestern RI & Connecticut. I have checked many 18th Century English flat button designs online, and no crude, hand-engraved samples can be found, although the design is perhaps the common bursting sun design of the late 18th Century.

Is the button possible of 17th Century origin? Was it possibly altered by a Native American for adornment? My research indicates that a considerable amount of activity occurred at the site during King Philip’s War, 1675-1676. After the Great Swamp fight in Narragansett, colonial troops injured in the fighting spent a prolonged period time on the site recovering from their wounds. In addition, Capt. Benjamin Church frequented the site while taking in many captives near the end of the conflict. Any input is appreciated.



Here’s a really worn and tired 1775 one-reale Spanish silver coin. Judging by the shape of the hole used to tie the coin for safekeeping, it was carried around quite a bit. I like the hole; it gives the coin a little bit of character.



Here’s a 17th Century nipple button (really like the early age of these buttons), lead waste from a musket ball group mold, which I recognized as soon as I pulled it from the hole, and last but not least, a 16th back plate for a drawer pull handle. It took just a little research to find an exact match on a website for early furniture. It dates from 1695.

Here's the info from the website






I believe that I found the matching teardrop handle for the back plate in January. I don’t believe I’ll be recovering the entire wooden drawer any time soon!



This appears to be a spur buckle, but I’m not sure of the age, probably 18th Century; it was found at the gold cufflink site.

Good Hunting to All

Thanks for all replies

 

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[Silver Tree Chaser]

I believe the pattern on the octagonal button is stamped in, not hand engraved. I also think the whole thing was silver plated and the plating didn't adhere as well in the pattern, so corroded away first. VERY sweet things you've found there!!

I think you're right on the money about a stamped design.

 

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[Silver Tree Chaser]

Nice going on that awesome silver buckle Jim, and I love the other finds as well. And great job on the ID research - you always do a fine job with that. As far as that octagonal button goes, I'd have to say its 18th century based on ones I've dug over the years. And according to my reference book, I'd have to say the small asymmetric buckle in your last pic is definitely 17th century. Glad that site is continuing to produce for you.

Bill - Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm glad for the clear consensus on the 18th Century verdict. I don't want to get side-tracked with wishful thinking. Thoughts would be much better spent on thinking where to search this upcoming weekend. I hadn't enough time yet for researching the small spur buckle, but I'm glad for the replies with a 17th Century time frame. Finds from the site had dated solidly from the 18th Century until recovering this latest buckle. Found a silver coin in the same area last year; it was worn smooth - completely identifiable. It was off-round, slightly smaller than a one-reale, slightly bigger than a half-reale. Perhaps it had been Mass Silver? Oh well, there's always the next hunt, the next field, the next signal.

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

The small buckle is amazing ! I'm guessing the resemblance to snakes on it's frame is intentional - What say you ?

I see a slight resemblance to a snake design, but can't be certain. I found a terrific shoe buckle on the same site back in 2012 with apparent lions' heads for a design, but it would sadly a fragment, broken in half (plow fodder). I can't complain - the silver buckle managed to avoid the plow blade for 200+ years.

 

[testing123]

that buckle is amazing!

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

How about that? ANOTHER large 18th century octagonal button! Just when I said they were as rare as hens teeth (I still think they are)

The solid silver buckle is an outstanding find. Just a question of whether it's a shoe buckle or a knee buckle!

The pin terminal are located at the top and bottom of the buckle and run the narrowest span of the frame, so it's a shoe buckle. Before I got it cleaned up, I thought it was a knee buckle due to its small size.

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

The buckle in the last picture dates to 1600's-1700's a real old buckle for your side of the pond, from the very early settlers. the Silver buckle is a out standing. find

SS

My thanks to you, Crusader, and others for recognizing the 17th Century finds.

 

[Ahab8]

Great finds and very nicely written informative post. Always refreshing to see a great post. Great job on those early finds and I love your screen name :-) Hoping Silver Tree Finder will be appropriate some day. For you and I both

 

[CASPER-2]

I don't think that's a drawer pull - looks like a bell clapper to me - I have found both

 

[CASPER-2]

Bells

you''ll find clappers on this page - looks like what you have by pic

 

[CRUSADER]

Forgot to say. The picture of the furniture hardware shows a hollow/flat concaved type drop & yours looks like the solid type. It makes little difference, as they were interchangable with all types of drops. Just thought I would point out the 'slight' difference (for future).

 

[70monte68]

Love the buckles! Research pays

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

I don't think that's a drawer pull - looks like a bell clapper to me - I have found both
View attachment 987713

Casper-2, My fellow New Englander - I as well thought bell clapper in the past, but I think most of these finds are drawer pulls; I have two such finds and both are decorative with an attached nipple style seen on buttons from the same period. See attachment. I've also seen these at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts - Early Furniture. I don't believe a bell maker would go through the trouble to cast a decorative clapper as it would hardly be seen, but I do appreciate your feedback

 

[treblehunter]

Wow, they are all great finds, the spur buckle looks like a colonial pull tab (haaaaaaaaaaaaaa) lol

 

[joeyfresh]

Casper-2, My fellow New Englander - I as well thought bell clapper in the past, but I think most of these finds are drawer pulls; I have two such finds and both are decorative with an attached nipple style seen on buttons from the same period. See attachment. I've also seen these at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts - Early Furniture. I don't believe a bell maker would go through the trouble to cast a decorative clapper as it would hardly be seen, but I do appreciate your feedback

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=987745"/>

100% a decorative drawer pull. Great finds again!

 

[chewy b]

Great finds awesome buckle

 

[CASPER-2]

Casper-2, My fellow New Englander - I as well thought bell clapper in the past, but I think most of these finds are drawer pulls; I have two such finds and both are decorative with an attached nipple style seen on buttons from the same period. See attachment. I've also seen these at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts - Early Furniture. I don't believe a bell maker would go through the trouble to cast a decorative clapper as it would hardly be seen, but I do appreciate your feedback

View attachment 987745

I found 3 of the hollow backs - got one with nipple -solid -but no design - and was told by Deerfielld museum that it was a bell clapper
yours looks like mine in shape

 

[CRUSADER]

I found 3 of the hollow backs - got one with nipple -solid -but no design - and was told by Deerfielld museum that it was a bell clapper
yours looks like mine in shape

Sorry but the Museum is wrong, the solid ones with nipples are draw pulls. I might be wrong on this assumption, but I'm pretty sure you would not decorate a function clapper, its not meant to be seen.