Horse brass and harness decoration info wanted

[elysian_fields_farm1]

For about a year now, various friends have been giving me horse brasses as presents. I now have about 40 of these-- all with diffent patterns or symbols. Some seem to have been cast, while others look like they are openwork created by cutting pieces out with a saw to form a design.

Some are very detailed and beautiful. I need to find a book or website that explains their various meanings, how to care for them, how to attach them to the harness, and exactly how they are supposed to be used on heavy horse or draft harness.

I would appreciate any responses that would be helpful regarding the use of these ornaments, the reasons for using them, or the history behind them. Also would like titles of any books written on these.

[Bogie]

I used to collect horse brasses and have a couple of books/pamphlets I’ll see what I can find for you.

[elysian_fields_farm1]

@Bogie;5068747

I used to collect horse brasses and have a couple of books/pamphlets I’ll see what I can find for you.

Thank you. I didn’t realize they were collectables. I wonder if that means that they are better left in their “natural” state and not polished or buffed?

Some have symbols like the thistle, dragon, rose, shamrock-- I’ve guessed those stand for the countries in GB. But some are geometric, like stars, moons and sunbursts. One that is piercework has a fleur de lis in the center.

Then there are those with crowns, unicorns, lions plumes and other “royal” symbols.

Some wwere very shiny-- my friends obviously polished them up before giving them to me, but some are really grimy with verigris on them.

I also was given a set of large brass bridle rossettes with a white metal–not sterling - rose in the center of each. They are all interesting though.

[sadlmakr]

There was a big fashion for those Harness Brasses back about 30 years ago.
Some are the real thing and some are made in India. Copied from the originals. There is a big difference if you learn what to look for.
The ones made in India are not a fine a finish as the British made.
I saw a book on them on Ebay a while back.
Have you checked Ebay for the books?
There were a few that were really highly prized and high priced.
Hope you find the Info you need.
Kind regards, sadlmakr

[Thomas_1]

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4966085&highlight=brasses#post4966085

[birdsong]

I have always wanted to collect the “real” brasses. A friend who is an antique dealer living in England and Wales began to pick them up for me…Alas, I still haven’t gotten them yet.

There is a very nice exhibition of horse brass at the Kentucky Horse Park museum.

[Drive_NJ]

Here are a couple of sources of info

http://www.nationalhorsebrasssociety.org

http://www.specialistauctions.com/view_newsletter.php?id=1047

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=horse+brass
will hopefully lead you to the three books most often discussed for new collectors. Green book seems to be well thought of. I got Discovering Horse Brasses and did not find it particularly helpful

Here’s “The History and Origin of Horse Brasses” on-line

http://books.google.com/books?id=MrsA2BHvX5kC&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=meaning+of+horse+brass&source=bl&ots=r1d8D6mfXe&sig=jKtVcHBh3N5gDdutjB_ert7tn9Y&hl=en&ei=Fqp_TMOYFsP6lwfL5MGEDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CA0Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=meaning%20of%20horse%20brass&f=false

[Reggie1960]

Often times polishing an item lowers it’s value with regard to collectables.

[elysian_fields_farm1]

Thanks for the tips

I think I have found one of the books with lots of photos on eBay already!!

I thought I would eventually get some kind of straps made at the local saddle shop so I can display them and keep them together until I can see what else I can do with them.

Right now I have them in a plastic container wrapped in tissue so they don’t rub and scratch each other when the box is moved.

All of this has been very helpful.

[Thomas_1]

[

[Cielo_Azure]

I have number of brasses and this fantasy that one day I will have enough that I will tie a red bow on each and make a Christmas tree totally decorated in brasses (ok, I would have to get a “few” more than I own now).

Every time I bring it up as an idea… for some reason, the men in my life roll their eyes!

[elysian_fields_farm1]

What a great idea!

[quote=Cielo Azure;5074490]
I have number of brasses and this fantasy that one day I will have enough that I will tie a red bow on each and make a Christmas tree totally decorated in brasses (ok, I would have to get a “few” more than I own now).

Now that is a really cool idea. But you would have to ave a sturdy tree- not the Leeland Cypress that are so popular now.

Even if you didn’t have enough to do a whole tree, you could mix them in with other ornaments.

Mt daughter collects the Laurel Burch ornaments that are not being made any more-- she doesn’t have enough to do a whole tree, but she mixes them in with others.

[Drive_NJ]

Cielo - cool idea, but you’d need a stiff sturdy tree. Brasses can be heavy

We do a tree festival in our area. For many years a local guy with a resale store and his wife always did the coolest trees. One year it was a tree covered in various antique tea balls (the shaped strainers you put loose tea in). Another year is was a shoe tree - the kind from the old shoe stores to display shoes, filled with shoe horns. Super old place. He once made a ton of money when Christy’s auction convinced him to sell off some of his doubles on toys. Malcome Forbes (Forbes Magazine) went nuts buying them up - to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars - back in the early 1970s. He had rows of sheds he picked up from people all over filled with the most amazing stuff. Only problem was he really would rather not sell anything. We used to go for the ice skate exchange. Bring the ones that don’t fit and change for ones that did for $1. To keep it driving related. He looked a bit Santa like and had a nice old draft he’d drive in parades as Santa. Also had a petting zoo with reindeer

[Cielo_Azure]

OK, I know what about brasses on a wreath or bough of evergreen for the front door? I have enough for that!

Carry on… I love this discussion, I know almost nothing about the evolution and history of horse brasses.

[Thomas_1]

This is quite interesting:

http://www.nationalhorsebrasssociety.org.uk/Contents/Text/Index.asp?SiteId=903&SiteExtra=12607593&TopNavId=31&NavSideId=13340

[MySparrow]

I’ve been collecting these for 30 years just because I like them. Each visit to the UK added to my collection; each holiday when we lived in England grew it further.

Every once in a while I attend an auction here in Mississippi run by a Welshman who brings crateloads of good British stuff here to sell. Lots of barley twist and Queen Anne. Last year he had 10 martingales of horse brasses, and I won the bid at $5 each, because no-one else present knew what they were. Sadly, the canny auctioneer would only sell me five martingales at my price. “You must let me make a living, my dear,” he said.

I have yet to do more than hang the martingales up in my carriage house. Earlier purchases, however, decorate my horses’ stalls. Maybe I’ll actually get around to prettifying some harness one day!

[elysian_fields_farm1]

This is some really interesting stuff- I love the site that Thomas sent a link for-- it has so much information-- and pictures. I saved that one to “favorites.”

I think a Christmas wreath decorated with a few brasses would make a very nice decoration for the front door-- or if you have a barn- for the barn.

MySparrow really sounds like she has some real “finds.” I really don’t know where mine have come from originally-- and some of them are probably fakes.

Several of my friends like to go to garage sales–my daughter and her husband deal in used and rare books so they sometimes go to estate sales where private libraries are being broken up. Sometimes there are lots of other interesting collectables, antiques, etc. for sale. My daughter will buy horse brasses to give to me as long as they are not priced very high. So that’s where most of mine have come from - garage and estate sales.

I don’t have many-- only 20 or 30. I haven’t counted in a while.

[Bogie]

I started collecting them after my husband and I walked the Cotswold Way. I walked into a pub and asked him why they had “bottle openers” hanging on the walls :sadsmile:. Once I knew what they were I was fascinated! My mother in law knew something about them and she showed me how to identify the old ones, the old copies and the newer stamped brasses. I always looked for them when visiting my in-laws in the UK and even found some nice ones here tucked away in an antique/junk store.

[Drive_NJ]

Cielo Azure
Love the idea of a wreath or spray on the door. Nice way to show your brasses off.

[elysian_fields_farm1]

Bottle openers- that’s a good one

@Bogie;5080234

I started collecting them after my husband and I walked the Cotswold Way. I walked into a pub and asked him why they had “bottle openers” hanging on the walls :sadsmile:. Once I knew what they were I was fascinated!

Now that I think of it, they do look like big bottle openers. Last week a friend sent me a link where someone on eBay had actually listed a horse brass as a bottle opener.:lol::lol::lol:

Since most of mine have been gifts, I haven’t really bothered to try to see if they are real or stamped fakes-- sort of like looking a gift horse in the mouth to my mind.