Belt or millinery buckle?

[Carol Childress]

Hi everyone! I've collected beautiful handmade objects for years - just because they're beautiful. Now, I wish to dig into researching them and learning more about them. Case in point: this buckle. There are no markings on it, that I could find.

The bar and prongs appear to be made of brass...this part is definitely a different color metal than the buckle.

The buckle has three loops on it and it appears to be made of brass or bronze. The buckle has a grape vine, or ivy vine all over it.

Any ideas out there?

Thank you for welcoming me to this forum. So many talented and knowledgeable people here! I live about 5-7 miles from the thrice-yearly Brimfield, MA, flea market. Anyone visit it last year?

Thanks very much, Carol

 

[Midge]

Giving this a *bump* for you.

 

[Carol Childress]

Thanks, Midge! I appreciate it!

 

[pastperfect2]

The three loops are where it was sewn to the item. I think it's a decorative, non-functional, buckle. Or perhaps 1/2 of a very tricky clasp. I think it's Late Victorian - Edwardian.

 

[Carol Childress]

The three loops are where it was sewn to the item. I think it's a decorative, non-functional, buckle. Or perhaps 1/2 of a very tricky clasp. I think it's Late Victorian - Edwardian.

Thanks for weighing in. Any ideas about what the two prongs may have been used for?

 

[pastperfect2]

they would have passed through the hand worked or metal eyelets of the ribbon. If you search for" double pronged Edwardian buckle" I think you will find some very similar items.

 

[Carol Childress]

they would have passed through the hand worked or metal eyelets of the ribbon. If you search for" double pronged Edwardian buckle" I think you will find some very similar items.

Thanks so much! I appreciate your taking the time to respond.

 

[DaisyandStella]

Hi everyone! I've collected beautiful handmade objects for years - just because they're beautiful. Now, I wish to dig into researching them and learning more about them. Case in point: this buckle. There are no markings on it, that I could find.

The bar and prongs appear to be made of brass...this part is definitely a different color metal than the buckle.

The buckle has three loops on it and it appears to be made of brass or bronze. The buckle has a grape vine, or ivy vine all over it.

Any ideas out there?

Thank you for welcoming me to this forum. So many talented and knowledgeable people here! I live about 5-7 miles from the thrice-yearly Brimfield, MA, flea market. Anyone visit it last year?

Thanks very much, Carol

I have one of these buckles on the interior grosgrain waistband of a late Victorian early 1900s dress set.

 

[Carol Childress]

I have one of these buckles on the interior grosgrain waistband of a late Victorian early 1900s dress set.

Wow! Any chance of sharing a photo of it? Thanks for your note!

 

[DaisyandStella]

Wow! Any chance of sharing a photo of it? Thanks for your note!

Carol yours is much prettier and ornamental than mine and mine does have 4 prongs. Attached a couple pics - seems weird though as mine doesn't have corresponding holes to close onto and you can see the inner waistband is torn where they had closed onto prior.

 

[Carol Childress]

Carol yours is much prettier and ornamental than mine and mine does have 4 prongs. Attached a couple pics - seems weird though as mine doesn't have corresponding holes to close onto and you can see the inner waistband is torn where they had closed onto prior.

That is so cool! LOL, not how I imagined at all. Thank you so much!

 

[pastperfect2]

Brooke - yours is a nifty version of internal buckle, much like the buckles on the back belts of men's vests. Since its functional was to cinch up the petersham band and take the strain of of the bodice waist, the prongs were sharp enough to pierce the petersham and so let the wearer adjust it exactly as needed, also giving the garment a tiny bit of size adjustment. No eyelets required! Also, sometimes there is a patent date on the bar of the buckle, often hidden by the petersham.

 

[DaisyandStella]

Brooke - yours is a nifty version of internal buckle, much like the buckles on the back belts of men's vests. Since its functional was to cinch up the petersham band and take the strain of of the bodice waist, the prongs were sharp enough to pierce the petersham and so let the wearer adjust it exactly as needed, also giving the garment a tiny bit of size adjustment. No eyelets required! Also, sometimes there is a patent date on the bar of the buckle, often hidden by the petersham.

Hollis thank you so much! I was wondering why there weren't corresponding eyelets. So if someone wore their bodice often enough, they'd have to replace the petersham band then if it got too worn out. I wonder if this happened very often.

 

[pastperfect2]

I expect so - it's a real stress point.

 

[Carol Childress]

A great big 'thank you' to the lady's who responded to my query!