Any suggestions on repairing this colonial shoe buckle?

cellrdwellr

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Hey everyone, so I found this buckle a few months back at a cellar hole. It was made by Benjamin Hurd in Boston, circa 1770. IMO, based on the research I have done, this piece is very rare and very valuable. I have not even cleaned it with water. So after I dug it and found the hallmark. I pulled the other piece back a little to see if there was another hallmark on the opposite side(there wasn't) I broke it :roll: any suggestions on reattaching the iron clasp back together? Without harming it? I want to put it in that shadow box and display it in my office. Thanks for ANY advice!
 

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There's a guy I've seen his work posted on other sites (Treasure Depot, or Treasure Spot maybe?), who does an amazing job with CW Buttons and buckles....and I'd imagine other relics.

I've not been on those sites for a while, but maybe someone knows who I'm talking about? Don't have a clue on his rates, but might be worth looking into.
 
Ok so I decided to just epoxy it back together myself, I may get a rust colored paint and make the epoxy joints look more natural, but I'm very happy with the end result! Appreciate the feedback!
 

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Such a great find and you did exactly what I would have done since you plan to keep it.

What would you ballpark the value on this to be? Definitely cool that it had the makers mark to allow for ID
 
Such a great find and you did exactly what I would have done since you plan to keep it.

What would you ballpark the value on this to be? Definitely cool that it had the makers mark to allow for ID

Thank you yacorie, it will likely go down as my rarest piece. Unfortunately, I know little as to what the value may be, but based on what I have read about Benjamin Hurd, he produced the least amount of items out of the three Hurd relatives. Just today for christmas I received a book on colonial Massachusetts silversmiths, and it has about a dozen (known to exist) pieces that he created. None of which include a shoe buckle. It also does not list the value of the items, but it does list who owns them and where they may currently be kept. A very interesting relic, and will stay in my possession until I die. I cant say that for many other items I have dug. This one means the most I think. Appreciate your interest and response, I added a pic of his makers mark. Merry Christmas, and happy hunting!
 

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It’s an awesome piece, regardless of value. I commend you on your interest on the history of the piece. To me, that’s the most rewarding part of MDing or any past time that involves history and historic items. Being able to save an item, identify it and figure out something about its history is the most rewarding. Don’t get me wrong, coins and jewelry are great too but what you have there and what you’ve done with it is what I love about the hobby.
 
That is one of those finds we all would love to have happen to us. Big congrats, and a very well done on putting it together. Awesome!:cool::yes:
 
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Thank you yacorie, it will likely go down as my rarest piece. Unfortunately, I know little as to what the value may be, but based on what I have read about Benjamin Hurd, he produced the least amount of items out of the three Hurd relatives. Just today for christmas I received a book on colonial Massachusetts silversmiths, and it has about a dozen (known to exist) pieces that he created. None of which include a shoe buckle. It also does not list the value of the items, but it does list who owns them and where they may currently be kept. A very interesting relic, and will stay in my possession until I die. I cant say that for many other items I have dug. This one means the most I think. Appreciate your interest and response, I added a pic of his makers mark. Merry Christmas, and happy hunting!

I think this great buckle should be examined and cataloged to extend the history of Hurd's items.
Maybe start with the book's author.

The epoxy fix is probably best since you only need to hold the part in place for display.
The ferrous could be cleaner with electrolysis but not while attached to the silver. Possibly the ferrous could be cleaned with chemical rust remover.
It is safer to leave alone if unsure. I would give it a soak in alcohol to remove water then seal to reduce further rusting.
 
That is such a stunning find and would be priceless to me! Congrats on saving a historic piece of early American history. I agree with what waltr said. Perhaps you could get a little more info on the item that way.:yes:
 
I think this great buckle should be examined and cataloged to extend the history of Hurd's items.
Maybe start with the book's author.

The epoxy fix is probably best since you only need to hold the part in place for display.
The ferrous could be cleaner with electrolysis but not while attached to the silver. Possibly the ferrous could be cleaned with chemical rust remover.
It is safer to leave alone if unsure. I would give it a soak in alcohol to remove water then seal to reduce further rusting.

That is such a stunning find and would be priceless to me! Congrats on saving a historic piece of early American history. I agree with what waltr said. Perhaps you could get a little more info on the item that way.:yes:

I really appreciate the feedback! I think im done restoring it personally. I like the "dirty" look. All I did was attach the broken piece with a 2 part clear epoxy as far as restoration goes. I do believe cleaning any further may decrease the value. It will never be sold, but I would absolutely like to find more about this Benjamin Hurd. Between the internet and my new book, I have learned quite a bit about Mr. Hurd. I think I can probably even find out who he made this buckle for though, judging by the very few pieces he produced. We'll see!!!! Ill update if any new info arises. Thanks everyone!!!
 
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