Lot 500:
A Collection of 6 Commemorative and Advertising Cast Metal Belt Buckles
Sold for: $50
Description
This lot features 6 cast metal belt buckles centered on themes of Western Americana, railroad history, and commercial advertising. The collection includes various commemorative and fantasy designs produced in the mid to late 20th century.
The first item is a scalloped brass-tone buckle for the Central and Union Pacific Railroad Co. The front displays a high-relief scene of track-laying laborers and horses. The reverse is marked Property of Central and Union Pacific Railroad Co. with decorative scrollwork.
The second item is a rectangular Budweiser advertising buckle made of darkened, antiqued metal. The design replicates a vintage Budweiser lager beer label for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. The reverse is marked Lewis Buckles Chicago and includes a statement that the piece was reproduced by arrangement with Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
The third item is a scalloped brass-tone buckle for American Express Co. and Wells, Butterfield and Co. The face features a relief scene of a horse-drawn stagecoach. The reverse is incised with the text Property of American Express Co.
The fourth item is a rectangular brass-tone buckle with clipped corners for the Committee of Vigilance of San Francisco. The front features a central seal with a radiant eye and shields labeled Action and Power. The reverse bears the marks Tiffany New York and Fort Gunnybag 1856.
The fifth item is a rectangular copper and brass-tone buckle for Wells Fargo and Company Express. It features a stippled background with a steam locomotive marked UPRR. The front is marked Gaylord Mass. The reverse bears a circular stamp for Tiffany and Co 550-552 Broadway.
The sixth item is a rectangular brass-tone buckle for Wells Fargo and Company Express, featuring a locomotive relief similar to the previous example. The front is marked Gaylord Mass. The reverse is stamped Parade Design VLF 1877 WF, Field Telegraph, and Tiffany and Co London England.
Condition report:
The collection exhibits moderate to heavy surface wear, oxidation, and varied patina consistent with age and storage. The Central and Union Pacific buckle shows scattered oxidation. The Budweiser buckle has minor surface scuffs. The Committee of Vigilance buckle displays a significant dark patina. The Broadway-marked Wells Fargo buckle has a notable horizontal casting line or surface crack running across the center of the face. The London-marked Wells Fargo buckle shows moderate surface oxidation and tarnish.
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