Sunday, November 3, 2013

Collecting - Horse Brass Harness Decorations

Collecting Horse Brasses - Harness Decorations


Horse Brasses as harness decorations first appeared in England in the early 19th Century.

Horse Brasses

Simple Cast Stud early Horse Brass

Early Horse Brass - Simple Cast Stud
Reverse of Cast Stud Brass - Lead Filled

















The first Horse Brasses were simple cast studs in a variety of shapes and sizes, likely make by local smiths. Once a pattern was made, it was pressed into a sand mold and cast molten brass was poured in for the raw casting. The result was then worked by hand and since most were thin, they were often filled with lead. They were attached to the horse's carriage harness with steel pins. Here is an example of one of the earliest, a simple cast stud Horse Brass in a shield shape, dating c1800 to c1840s.

The back of the shield is filled with lead. Only small holes remain where there were once steel pins for attachment to the harness. This brass measures 2.5 inches x 2 inches wide, but they would have been made in a variety of sizes.

By c1850s onwards cast horse brasses became more detailed, still attached to the harness by stout prongs or wires, but soon came the forerunners of hanging brasses which became so popular in the late 1800s into the first half of the 1900s, with loops or hangers at the top.

Working Harness Cast Horse Brasses with hangers or loops
A selection of "working" Horse Brasses. Simple crescent designs showing harness wear and greening oxidization, along with more decorative horse heads inside a horse shoe design.

Cast brasses often have small "stubs" on the reverse called "getts", originally 1 to 2 inches long, most partially or completely filed off.

Horse Brass Cast Perforated Shield
Stubs on reverse called "getts"

An early c1900s Horse Brass Cast Perforated Shield Design showing evidence of getts on the reverse edges.








Pressed Brass Harness Decorations, or Stamped Horse Brasses / Medallions started to appear c1880s, with production peaking before WWI, and those made since the 1920s of a poorer quality and thinner.  Pressed Brasses were made as a lighter, cheaper alternative to cast brasses.

Pressed Horse Brass
Reverse of Pressed Brass is flat
 
Pressed Horse Brass showing a Royal Lion in the centre of a horse shoe. Thinner than cast brasses, pressed brasses are flat on the reverse with no getts.





Pressed brasses are not made in a mold but are pressed out of rolled sheet brass approximately 1/16 inch thick. Done using a Flypress, also known as a Flywheel Press, blanks are cut out. Later, a Punch Press is used with die tools to create a pattern. Some were pressed and cut at the same time using positive and negative dies and then hand polished. Both the back and the front are smooth or flat except for the area on the front for the pattern.

Royal Themed Horse Brass Queen Victoria

Royal themed Horse Brasses emerged with Queen Victoria as a cast brass bust in the centre of a pressed brass blank. Upon Queen Victoria's death in 1901 lettering appeared for the first time in the form of a commemorative brass. 


Horse Brass King Edward VII
 









Following the royal theme, horse brasses were made for the Kings of England following Victoria. Here is an elaborate brass honouring the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902.

Souvenir Horse Brass for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee 1977
Horse Brasses are still made today, more as souvenirs than for actual horse harness use, although special event designs are created for parades and other occasions for the harnesses of the horses participating.  Here is an example of a commemorative Horse Brass honouring Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee 1977.

The horse harness straps the Horse Brasses hang from or are attached to are called Martingales or Breast-Straps.  Authentic horse-worn examples are hard to find but are considered the best display pieces for hanging Horse Brasses to collectors. Genuine or faux leather straps can be economically obtained for collectors of brasses. 

Martingale Strap holding 2 brasses
Reverse of Martingale Strap
   
A short 2 brass martingale strap in faux leather. The Horse Brasses are threaded with a belt that slots through holes in the backing to hold them securely, and the martingale can then be hung on the wall for display. The two horse brasses shown are Jenny Jones a Welsh witch, and a horse drawn wagon in a wreath design. 




Horse Brasses have been a popular decoration for generations in Public Houses (pubs) or country homes.


Glossary Summary:

Horse Brass = medallion, harness decoration
Cast Brass = made in a mold with molten brass poured into it 
Pressed Brass = made by stamping or pressing out of rolled sheet brass
Hanger = top loop on a horse brass
Martingale = strap or breast-strap for holding horse brasses on harness tack
Getts = stubs found on the reverse of cast brasses

Horse Brasses are a fun decorative collectible, or memorable souvenir item and true antique or vintage brasses can be a wonderful family heirloom to hand down.

Items shown here, and many other Horse Brasses, can be found at Mandicrafts!

Happy Hunting!
Mandy
Mandicrafts
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