buckles clasps

How to engage the slide show:

click on the first image on the left of the gallery below, then select the arrow at the bottom left of the enlarged image. Or you can manually go to the next slide by hovering your cursor on the middle right side then clicking the arrow that appears. Hover your cursor on the middle left side then click the arrow that appears to go backwards. Close the slide show or manual show by clicking the X button on the lower right of the image. (The image of each button is followed by an image of that button's back or reverse side.)

Acknowledgments, References and information for this category are at the bottom of this page.

Button Country

An Educational Resource for Button Collectors - originally created by Paul Rice

Div. IV Section 2 : Buckles/Clasps

2-1 One-piece Slide - Syroco wood (3-1/2 x 2-3/4")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Glass with Paint (1-5/16")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Celluloid (2 x 1-1/2")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Leather with Brass OME (1-1/2")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Brass - Wound Spring (1-1/8")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Celluloid Glow (2 x 1-1/2")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Glass in Metal(2-1/2 x 1-3/8")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Celluloid Tight top (2-3/4 x 2")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Coconut (2-3/4 x 2")

2-1 One-piece Slide - Bakelite (2-1/8")

2-1 One-piece with Prong - Bakelite (1 x 7/8 x 1")

2-1 One-piece with Prong - Wood

2-1 One-piece with Prong - Copper - Wound Wire (1-15/16 x 1-1/4")

2-1 One-piece with Attached Prong - Brass (Real Lock) (1-13/16 x 1")

2-1 One-piece with Attached Moving Prong - Steels & Paste on Brass (3 x 1-1/4")

2-1 One-piece with Attached Moving Prong - Brass & Pastes - Art Nouveau (3-1/2 x 2-1/4")

2-1 One-piece with 2 Attached Moving Prongs - Pewter with Brass Prongs (1-1/2 x 7/8")

2-1 One-piece with 3 Attached Moving Prongs - Shell (3-1/2 x 1-1/2")

2-1 Two-piece Interlock - Brass (4-1/2 x 3")

2-1 Two-piece with Attached hook (the other half is not shown) - Japanese Enamel on Silver (signature on back) (3 x 2-1/2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Brass (3-1/2 x 1-1/2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Celluloid Shield (2-5/8 x 1-5/8")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Celluloid (3-3/4 x 2-1/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Celluloid Tight Top (5 x 2-1/2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Celluloid with Pastes (3-1/2 x 2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Bakelite (4-3/8 x 2-1/2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Glass in metal (3-1/2 x 1-1/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Glass in metal (3 x 2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Brass, Glass & Pastes (3 x 1")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Glass in metal with Pastes (3 x 2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Celluloid on Brass (3 x 1-1/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Celluloid & Brass (4-1/4 x 2-1/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Celluloid, Shell & Brass - Sew-thru rim (4 x 1-3/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Silvered brass (3-1/2 x 1-1/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Painted Brass (4 x 2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Silver & Gemstone - Realistic Shape - BM "Sterling" (5 x 1-3/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Pewter - Realistic Shape (4 x 3")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Black Glass - Linear Shape (2-1/2 x 2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Shell - Linear Shape (3 x 1-1/2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Enamel - Art Deco (1-1/4 x 1-5/8")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Ceramic mounted in metal

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Bright Cut Tinted Pewter (3 x 1-1/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Opalescent Glass in Metal (2-7/8 x 1-1/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Peasant Silver & Glass OME - from the South Balkans (7-1/8 x 3-7/8")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Brass, Handkerchief Corners (1-7/8")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Brass & White metal (1-1/4 x 2-3/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Painted Celluloid (4-1/2 x 2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Shell on Brass with Glass Eye (4-/4 x 1-1/2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Modern Plastic (1-1/2 x 3/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Bakelite with Brass (5-1/2 x 1-3/4")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Bakelite - 1939 Worlds Fair (3-1/2 x 2")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Celluloid - Realistic Shape - Football (1-1/4 x 1")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp (snap) - Celluloid and Fabric (4 x 7/8")

2-1 Two-piece Clasp - Fabric - Frog (1-3/4 x 1-1/4")

2-1 Three-piece Buckle - Horn with shell inlay (3-1/2 x 2-1/2")

2-1 Three-piece Clasp - Brass & Glass (3 x 2")

2-1 Three-piece Clasp - Pastes in White Metal (3-1/2 x 1-1/2")

2-2 Shoe Buckle - Enamel BM "France" (1-1/2 x 15/16")

2-2 Shoe Buckle - White Metal (1-1/2 x 1")

2-2 Shoe Buckle - White metal faux faceted-steels (1-3/8 x 1")

2-2 Two Shoe Buckles - Faceted cut-steels (3-1/2 x 2-1/2" each side)

2-2 Sweater Guard - Brass & Paste (1-1/4 x 7/8" each end)

2-2 Sweater Guard - Synthetic Polymer in metal (1 x 1" each end)

2-2 Sweater Guard - Satsuma (Back not Shown) (1-1/8" each end)

2-2 Sweater Guard - Pastes & Brass (Back not shown) (1" each end)

2-2 17th c. Bronze Belt Clasp (Was riveted to Belt) (2") (Ref. 3)

2-2 Dip Buckle - Popper Glass in Metal (Back not shown)

2-2 Dip Buckle - Brass (Back not shown)

2-2 Dip Buckle - Silvered Brass (Back not shown)

2-2 Dip Buckle - White Metal - Art Nouveau (Back not shown)

2-2 Dip Buckle - Brass - Art Nouveau (Back not shown)

2-2 Dip Buckle - Silvered Brass - Art Nouveau (Back not shown)

2-2 Dip Buckle on Original store card (Back not shown)

2-2 Additional Dip Buckle Information

2-2 Other Pre-18th Century Fasteners

To download and print a pdf of the history and information about Buckles & Clasps click here.

Some descriptions of these buttons may be cut off. Full descriptions can be seen in the slide show mode.

Back to Related Specialties

Acknowledgements: Thanks to the collaborators who made examples from their collections available for the images shown on this pages. They include Jerry McGrath, Pat Howard, Jeffrey Lee, Lou Yeargain, Annie Frasier, Phyllis Ross, Jane Johnson, Barbara Barrans, and Gary Brockman. Others who contributed reviews, comments and support include Adrienne Bennett, Gwen Niemisto, Jane Perry, Pat Koehler, Ronnie Wexler and Jane Porter. A special thanks to Joan Lindsay & Joy Journeay for their expert editing skills!

Credits and References:

1 Ordos culture gold belt buckle

2. Gerald McGrath and Janet Meana: Fashion Buckles - Common to Classic

3. Warren K. Tice: Dating Buttons, Published 2003 by Warren K. Tice (documents pre-18th century examples used herein)

4. National Button Society Blue Book, 2013- 2017, Official NBS Classification and Competition Guidelines