Strange item

[Coinseeker 78]

We found three of these today metal detecting. Does anyone know what it is? Thanks in advance.

 

[Larry (IL)]

I believe it is a buckle cover for horse gear. Keeps the mane from getting caught in the buckle. Could be from the Civil War period.


Good finds guys.

 

[Ant]

Looks to me be a regular belt buckle, a pic of the back will help confirm.

 

[Ant]

Fot got to write that it may be only 1/2 of a belt buckle.

 

[sawmill]

It is actually a bridle buckle. These were very popular during the civil war.
The bad part is they remained very popular and are still made and sold .
There should be a hook,or remains of where a hook was attached on the back side.

 

[taz42o]

Post civil war harness buckle shield . As larry said keeps mane and tail out of buckle.

 

[Larry (IL)]

You're right sawmill, I thought they covered the buckle, unless they are misplaced in this picture........ ( I lifted it from Ebay)

[attachment 278653 heart.jpg]

 

[sawmill]

Larry IL

I have owned several bridles and saddles with those buckles. In my mis-spent youth,I used to break
lots of horses and mules. A very old widow lady traded me a 1800,s saddle,bridle and martingale ,that
was her Grandfathers old rigging,in exchange for breaking a couple colts. All the rigging had those buckles,
and heart rosettes. You can still buy them. They were very popular during the civil war era too.

 

[Larry (IL)]

Thanks for the education sawmill, I'm always learning something new on this forum.

 

[taz42o]

There is no proof those are civil war era. I know people who have hunted civil war site and excavated hut sites for 30 years or more and they will tell you these have never been found except at the surface.
Also you will not find one in any calvary picture from civil war period.
They are buckle shields not buckles.

 

[sawmill]

Larry and Taz

You are right. After posting I started to question myself too. The buckles I am familiar with
did not have the swingy thing on the end and were not stamped. They were cast with a center
post and were just a fancy version of a conway buckle. I should have looked closer before saying
anything.

Horse and mule people like some bling on their rigging. The shield thing is more of a sales pitch
than practical use. Snagging tail or mane hair in a buckle is not that much of problem in the real
world. If that was the case all high dollar harness and saddles would still use shields.

I agree they were not military issue equipment,but a lot of Confederate equipment, horses,and
mules were not military issue either. Horse bling was popular during that period too. A patent
date and manufacturer would solve a lot of questions .

 

[Aarong81]

It looks like the Patent was applied for in 1910 and passed in 1911. Taz posted the image with the date/patent.
I have found about 6 or 8 with the heart design in northern Missouri and a couple with the double dome design shown in the picture of the "National Harness Review"(pic also in Taz' post). It seems like they would be a hassle to install over the buckle and unless you were very conscious about removing hair from buckles it would be a minor improvement. We had horses of our own when I grew up and I never seen buckle shields in use. But then again, Horses at that time were like vehicles to us today. People spend crazy money on wheels or chrome and it adds no added functionality. The buckle shield was probably thought more to hide the buckle with something that looks fancy and it was obviously a good selling product regardless of practicality.

 

[Larry (IL)]

Still a nice educational thread.... I do agree though that I think they were all bling and the functionality aspect was just a ploy to help Pa talk Ma out if a bit of her egg and butter money to add a little shine to the family transportation.

Interesting also about the patent date.......... I have seen them sold as Civil War relics.......