Buckle

ca. 1810 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
The buckle is made as a single piece, and has two wide loops on the back. It was probably for a woman's belt, which may have been worn high under the bust.

Materials & Making
Steel was relatively inexpensive, but the labour-intensive facetting on the best cut-steel work made it costly. The cut-steel mounts on Wedgwood's Jasper are often attributed to the great Birmingham industrialist Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), a friend and rival of Wedgwood's. In 1786 Wedgwood wrote to explain to him that 'I have left a few sets of my cameo buttons to be mounted, & shall be glad to increase our connection in this way, as well as selling you cameos for your trade, as in having them mounted by you for mine, both in gilt metal & steel'. Wedgwood also supplied Jasper for mounting to Green & Vale of Birmingham and Vernon & Hasselwood of Wolverhampton. Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Woodstock were the chief centres for cut-steel. The painted glass medallion has an engine-turned backing.

Design & Designing
The Jasper reliefs are of the Signs of the Zodiac. These are based on a relief that Wedgwood bought from the London plaster shop of Mrs Landr‚ in 1774.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Jasper ware and back-painted glass, mounted in cut steel and painted
Brief description
Belt buckle of cut steel, mounted with two circular blue jasperware plaques, Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd., probably Etruria, ca. 1810.
Physical description
Buckle of cut steel, mounted with two circular blue jasperware plaques with white reliefs of the signs of the Zodiac. The two circular panels, with steel segments above and below, are connected with one another by an oval medallion with a miniature painting in black on opal glass of a classical female figure.
Dimensions
  • Width: 11.43cm
  • Depth: 8.6cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 01/06/2000 by AS
Gallery label
British Galleries: This large buckle was probably made for a high-waisted dress of the type fashionable after 1800.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Given by Lady Charlotte Schreiber
Subjects depicted
Summary
Object Type
The buckle is made as a single piece, and has two wide loops on the back. It was probably for a woman's belt, which may have been worn high under the bust.

Materials & Making
Steel was relatively inexpensive, but the labour-intensive facetting on the best cut-steel work made it costly. The cut-steel mounts on Wedgwood's Jasper are often attributed to the great Birmingham industrialist Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), a friend and rival of Wedgwood's. In 1786 Wedgwood wrote to explain to him that 'I have left a few sets of my cameo buttons to be mounted, & shall be glad to increase our connection in this way, as well as selling you cameos for your trade, as in having them mounted by you for mine, both in gilt metal & steel'. Wedgwood also supplied Jasper for mounting to Green & Vale of Birmingham and Vernon & Hasselwood of Wolverhampton. Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Woodstock were the chief centres for cut-steel. The painted glass medallion has an engine-turned backing.

Design & Designing
The Jasper reliefs are of the Signs of the Zodiac. These are based on a relief that Wedgwood bought from the London plaster shop of Mrs Landr‚ in 1774.
Bibliographic references
  • Mason, Shena (Ed.), Matthew Boulton: selling what all the world desires, Birmingham, Birmingham City Council, 2009 ill. p.147
  • Young, Hilary (ed.). The Genius of Wedgwood. London : Victoria & Albert Museum, 1995 D33
Other number
Sch. II 504 - Schreiber number
Collection
Accession number
414:1294-1885

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Record createdApril 7, 2003
Record URL
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