Shoe Buckles
PeriodCirca 1770 - 1780
Place MadeNew York or New Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumSilver, steel
Dimensions3 × 2.25 × 0.75 in. (7.6 × 5.7 × 1.9 cm)
ClassificationsAccessories, Men's
Credit LineGift of Mrs. J. Amory Haskell, 1932
Object number241
DescriptionA pair of men's large rectangular shoe buckles, comprised of a silver rim featuring a central rounded frame line ornamented with triple "bands" regularly spaced along the line. The buckle's central pin (central vertical bar) is of wide width steel. One buckle retains what appears to be the original chape and tongue assembly (the buckle at right in the photograph) with a simple matching thin steel frame with rounded corners, with one of the chape's spikes broken off. The buckle on the left appears to have a replacement chape and tongue assembly, with the tongue including a much more elaborate configuration including three small diamond-shaped spacers between the two spikes. Neither buckle is marked.Curatorial RemarksShoe buckles experienced the height of their popularity during the second half of the 18th century. More than 25 million pairs of shoe buckles were manufactured in the Birmingham area of England at that time, many of which were exported to the American colonies. Buckles also reflected an owner's economic status, and were made from fine silver, sometimes with glittering paste gems. Less expensive buckles could be made from steel, or from "Bath metal," an alloy of brass, zinc, and silver. Buckles could be swapped out to create a fresh or updated appearance. Lt. General James Morgan's buckles were made of high-quality silver, in a simple yet elegant and well-executed design. They may have originated from a silversmith in New York or Philadelphia. At some point, the chape and tongue assembly of one buckle was broken or damaged. The workman who made the repair/replacement was not nearly as skilled as the original maker, and made no attempt to replicate the original work or pattern. Many surviving buckles show a variety of repairs and replacements, as they were not only decorative but necessary elements of everyday dress.NotesLieutenant General James Morgan was born on December 29, 1756, one of nine children of Captain James Morgan and Margaret Evertson. He served as an officer in the New Jersey Line during the American Revolution, and later served as a General in the local New Jersey Militia unit in South Amboy. Morgan inherited a great deal of property from his father, including the stoneware pottery in the Amboy area. The Morgan family intermarried several times to other stoneware potters. James Morgan's sister Susannah married potter Jacob Van Wickle, while sister Mary married Thomas Warne, also a stoneware potter. Although it is certainly likely that Morgan learned the stoneware trade from his father, the General did not personally make stoneware pieces. Instead, he focused his considerable skills on the financial and business components. Morgan was not only involved in running the successful pottery, but also in real estate, farming, and politics. Morgan was a representative in the general assembly in Philadelphia from 1794 to 1799, and was elected to the Twelfth Congress from 1811-1813. James Morgan married twice, first to Catherine Van Brackle, second to Ann S. Van Wickle. He died in 1822.
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