| "The nuances of different shapes, fastening mechanisms, or manufacturers have tremendous appeal to me. The seemingly endless variety of all aspects of belt buckles made a century ago testifies to the popularity of this piece of decorative jewelry, and to the large number of silver manufacturers who included it among their designs and production. It seems as if almost every silver maker produced buckles, from the plain to the very elaborate. The turn of the century was also an active period of invention in America. Automobiles were in their infancy, the electrically-powered machine age was just getting underway, and inventors of every description were busily seeking means to alleviate the drudgery of housework with mechanical washers, carpet sweepers, eggbeaters, clothespins, etc. Belt buckles were not excluded from this burst of inventive energy. The fastening mechanism in particular was a focal point of creative engineering, as in this otherwise rather plain buckle made by George W. Sheibler. This buckle is of cast silver and is about 1.75" wide. The center strut acts as a rocking hinge for a wide, curved silver plate through which the belt is threaded; the plate then holds the belt in place, using the tension of the belt as the locking mechanism." |
