1930s belt?

[VintageFray]

Hello VFG! It's been such a long time. I took a two year break from vintage selling and only just recently delved into my stash again, as it really is time for a clear out. I'd forgotten hom much stuff i had! Anyway, I came across this little belt, and wondered if I'm right in thinking it's 1930s.

It's made from a metallic threaded fabric, which I think may have been a little more stretchy at some point. The buckle is great- a large purple glass jewel is set into it; there's a echo of art deco about it. It also has some beading, and a few sequins. Thought I'd better save it from my pile before I loose it in the disorganization!
Any help appreciated!

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Hello, could you please tell us a little more about it? It looks like a costume piece to me, fairly modern (post '60s) but more information will help.​

1. Are you sure the centre jewel is glass, and not plastic?
2. What is the piece it's set in made of? Plastic, metal...?
3. Is the centre piece a buckle that opens, or how do you put the belt on?
4. Are the sequins gelatin or plastic?
5. Are the small beads plastic or glass?
6. Is the discoloration painted on or does it look like real age?

As mentioned, I think this is likely a costume piece that has been distressed for the stage. The components look modern to me so if you can help with composition it could put it into an earlier era.

Lastly, is the reason you think it's '30s because you've seen something similar from that time? Thank you.

 

[VintageFray]

Hi Nicole!

Yes, the jewel in the centre is defintley glass, set into a metal buckle. The back has a hook which fastens into the corresponding 'eye'.
I'm not sure what the sequins are made from. They're flat, and not faceted; and they look like they once had a nice sheen. All the beads are glass. I'm familiar with costume breaking down techniques, and this belt dosent look like that. The fabric it's made of is metal threaded- you can feel the metal in it. Because of this it's slightly greened in places.

The reason I though 30s was because i've had 1930s evening bags made from the same metal threaded fabric, often with some beading, and it reminded me of that. But I realise that doesn't mean much!

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Thank you! Underside pics are always good.

I agree that the buckle could be '30s - I'm still on the fence about the elastic but that's because I haven't seen any '30s elastic belts like this before. Perhaps others have?

 

[VintageFray]

Thanks so much for your help Nicole; it's sufficiently random enough for me to be scratching my head a little too, so it's nice to have your opinion!

But just to clarify, it's not elastic, I just feel like it may have been a little more stretchy at some point, in the same way that if you shrink a sweater it loses some of it's movement. If that makes sense?

 

[Pinkcoke]

It looks like 'soft backed elastic' to me, as it appears to have loops on the front? this would also be why it's picked up more dirt than the back. It's normally used for inside waistbands. It could also have been elasticated velvet ribbon, though I don't know how long this has been made for, so I'd be more comfortable with the first suggestion.

 

[retro ruth]

Regarding stretchiness, and it losing it:

If the fabric is a knit, like a jersey fabric or similar, it could have some 'natural stretch' which it has lost through shrinkage, as the nature of knit is somewhat stretchy, even it weren't partly made of elastic. This what happens when you shrink a sweater, as you say. But if it's a weave, the only way it could have previously been stretchy, would be if it were partly woven of some kind of elastic yarn, which has lost elasticity over time. I can't quite tell from your pics, which it is.

I've never seen an elasticated belt from the thirties, but as Nicole says, maybe others have.

 

[VintageFray]

I'll see if i can explain the fabric a bit better. There are no elastine threads in the belt, at all. The back is made from a cotton, and I'm pretty positive about that. I can feel it in the threads. There are two layers at play here; the metal threaded front, which is a dull gold in colour, and the cotton back. The metal threads have been worked into the cotton, but you cannot see the metal from the back, at all, even when you pull at it. Wether the belt originally would have been a little stretchy or not was completely my assumption, it's not really based on much more than my expectation when I look at at. It's a fabric belt, not a elastic belt. I hope that clarifies a bit! Thanks so much for your help guys!

 

[Pinkcoke]

Thanks for the further explanation, if you could get some more photos in daylight I think we could better see what you are describing.

 

[VintageFray]

Sorry for the terrible pictures; these are still a bit rough but are a little lighter

 

[Arabella's Treasures]

I have read that elastics have been used in clothing since the early 1900's...