Identifying Buckles, Clasps & Fasteners
Buckles and fastener hardware turn up on almost every hunt. They were used on shoes, belts, horse tack, suspenders, overalls, garters, and dozens of other items. While many are mundane, some are genuinely old and historically interesting. Knowing what to look for helps sort the keepers from the scrap.
Shoe Buckles
Decorative shoe buckles were common from the late 1600s through the late 1700s, when they fell out of fashion. Colonial-era shoe buckles are typically brass or pewter, rectangular or oval, with a hinged tongue on the back. They range from plain utilitarian styles to ornate designs with cut steel or paste jewels. Finding a shoe buckle at a site is a strong indicator of 18th-century activity.
Belt and Strap Buckles
Belt buckles vary enormously by period and purpose. Simple iron frame buckles with a center bar are found across all periods and are the hardest to date precisely. More diagnostic types include:
- Military belt plates: Rectangular or oval plates with branch insignia. Civil War-era plates (US, CS, state seals) are highly collectible. See the Relicman reference for visual guides.
- Harness buckles: Heavy brass or iron buckles from horse tack. Often found near barns, roads, and hitching areas.
- Overall buckles: Small stamped buckles, often marked with brand names. Most date from the late 1800s to early 1900s.
Suspender and Garter Clips
Small stamped brass clips with teeth or spring mechanisms are usually suspender adjusters or garter clips from the 1800s and early 1900s. They're common finds and easy to mistake for junk if you don't know what they are. The presence of a patent date stamped into the metal can help with dating.
Other Common Fasteners
- Hook-and-eye closures: Brass wire hooks, often from clothing or shoes. Very common at house sites.
- Strap ends and keepers: Small U-shaped or rectangular pieces that held belt or strap ends in place.
- Bag frames: Curved brass frames from purses and small bags, often with a hinge.
Material and Construction Clues
Cast brass or pewter buckles with filed edges tend to be older (pre-1800). Stamped sheet brass with folded edges indicates machine manufacture (1800s onward). Iron buckles are hard to date by construction alone since blacksmiths made simple iron buckles the same way for centuries.