Sycamore 1852-R

Sycamore 1852-R

Solid Sterling Silver 4-Piece Buckle Set

This one-of-a-kind, hand-engraved buckle set depicts the head of a retriever on the buckle and a bunny hiding in the scrolls on the tip. Putting the dog at the center of the scroll was a common practice in the 1800s. It isn't seen very often in today's engraving styles.

The engraved scrolls are simple, yet strong, leaving a fair amount of open space. A carved zig-zag border on the edge of the buckle and tip, and on part of the keepers (see angled close-up), tie the pieces together. The diagonal band across the keepers is a powerful design element that brings the eye back to the center.

This sweet ¾" (19mm) buckle set is an attractive ensemble on any color belt and looks great on one of Neil's custom ranger straps or on a ¾" straight or tapered strap.

Neil is ever pursuing new limits and perspectives on buckle-making. The buckles in the "1800" series are the height of craftsmanship and artistry. They are inspired by ornamentation on 19th century American guns, which were mostly engraved by German and Austrian immigrant craftsmen. Among them, engraving by German immigrant LD Nimschke is the most well-known and well-documented, and as such, Neil has found much inspiration perusing the book of "smoke-prints" of Nimschke's work.