Belt Buckle marked TP in a square and XXXXI

[statestreetsadie]

Hello everyone! I've used your site many times when looking up silver marks and this is the first time I just couldn't find something like it. (though it is, of course, possible I've just completely missed it!)

I have an old belt buckle. It has two markings: a stamped TP in a square, and XXXXI (Or, IXXXX if you want to turn it over) that looks hand marked. I am posting in the silverplate section because it does not have any silver marks. I was surprised when the frame cleaned and shined like silver. The middle pieces have rust and look like steel. The prongs are actually sharp - could it be a scarf decoration instead? The buckle measures approximately 2 1/2" wide. It's located in the Midwest USA and I believe it was found in an consignment auction box lot. I've had it a while because I kept looking it up, not finding anything, and throwing it into a box again!

From my research on your site and others, I want to lean towards it being Taxco, but it's odd that it doesn't have the registration numbers right after the TP. It's not one-of-a-kind: I have 2 of the same buckle, with the same markings.

Pictures below. Thanks for taking the time to look over my post!

[dognose]

Hi Statestreetsadie,

Welcome to the Forum,

I think you may be pleasantly surprised when you find out how old your buckle is. The scratched Roman numerals are often to be found on 18th century American buckles.



As to whether the buckle is American made or imported, I'm sure our resident expert, Buckler, will reveal all.

Trev.

[buckler]

Many thanks for posting this buckle picture . However I regret that at my age, and in this cold weather I must decline Trev's offer to reveal all. 

The buckle, from the shape etc is one of a pair of shoe buckles. Probably later used as a belt buckle after the fashion for buckled shoes declined in the 1780- 90 period.

By English styles it would date to around 1770, and I think that America and England were very close in style at that time.

I agree with Trev, it's almost certainly silver. The Roman numerals are believed to indicate size or more probably weight, although I've never succeeded in tying the system down. Usually such numerals were never used in England, but are found frequently in America and sometimes on the Continent

As to origin, again I agree with Trev. My guess, and it is a guess, is that it's of American manufacture.

I think we can probably rule out continental Europe, the style is very Anglo-Saxon.

I think we can rule out England, mainly on the grounds of the makers mark. That conjoined TP is very distinctive and I've never seen it , or anything similar on an English buckle. Also in pre- Revolutionary days it should have the Lion Passant present, although if exported a crafty bucklemaker could avoid the expense of having that done!

It might perhaps be Irish . They  did put the numerals on buckles, in the standard form (Arabic) on buckles for the home and English markets but in Roman numerals for the American exported ones . They also exported unassayed wares to America. However  think it's unlikely to be Irish, mainly again on the grounds of the conjoined TP.

Which brings us back to the probability, that's it's American !

So a search of the American marks list for a conjoined TP of the 1765 - 1780 period is called for!

[statestreetsadie]

Wow! Thank you so much for your quick replies. You are right Trev, I was very surprised by the age! Just when I thought I had hit a dead end for the buckle, you guys turned me around and set me on a new path. I can't believe that I didn't consider that they were shoe buckles, when I even had the pair in front of me. I'm very excited to continue researching, and will certainly let you know if I find anything new.