Cut-steel buckles date back hundreds of years. In the late seventeenth century, they became a popular adornment for fashionable individuals, especially in Europe. They were made from small, faceted, metal studs riveted to a steel plate, creating a sparkling effect reminiscent of diamonds. Crafting these intricate buckles was a meticulous process involving skilled artisans who carefully cut, shaped, and set the metal pieces by hand. Cut-steel buckles remained in vogue throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
This ornate piece may once have been part of a pair of shoe buckles. Today, it would look lovely on a black velvet belt or a brightly colored scarf, or it could be refashioned into a brooch, pendant, or hair accessory.
Measurements
About 2-1/2" x 1-1/2"