Bag Strap Questions

[RoaringBull]

1. Would a woven strap or a leather strap be more appropriate for a high-end (for the period) bag from the 1820-1830 time frame?

2. Were horns still being attached to bags in that same time frame or were they being carried more on their own straps?

3. What style buckle would be most appropriate for that time frame?

[Artificer]

1. Would a woven strap or a leather strap be more appropriate for a high-end (for the period) bag from the 1820-1830 time frame?

My personal definition of a high end bag is one that would have been made by a saddler.  Leather would have been the choice for that.

2. Were horns still being attached to bags in that same time frame or were they being carried more on their own straps?

Both ways and all up to the customer. 

3. What style buckle would be most appropriate for that time frame?
[/quote]

This gets harder to answer.  What location in the country?  What was the status of the owner? 

[RoaringBull]

Location would be Texas by way of Missouri I think...He portrays the son of a well to do cabinet maker moving west to Taos.

[Chuck Burrows]

An unplated iron roller buckle or a longer than wider center bar harness types would be appropriate for the time and place.

Most buckles come plated but it's easy to remove with muriatic acid or heat or a combo of both - just don't breath the fumes. After wards you leave as is, age it, or apply faux Japanning or the blacksmith methods of dipping the heated buckle in linseed oil, wiping off the excess, and letting dry

[Artificer]

Chuck,

Please understand I don't mean to argue, but I'm curious why you would say a roller buckle.  A roller buckle would have cost more than a plain buckle and since this is going to be a high end bag that would have been made by a saddler, is that the reason you suggested a roller buckle?

Gus

[Chuck Burrows]

Because by the 1820-30 period noted by the OP roller buckles were commonly used on harness and saddlery and roller buckles alone show up on several western fur trade supply lists of the era and with a price close to "plain" buckles.

[Artificer]

Thanks for the explanation, Chuck.  I didn't know roller buckles were down to about the same price as plain buckles by that time.  Maybe a saddler would have stocked roller buckles in more sizes and hence used what he had on hand as well?

Gus

[Kermit]

Curious here. How far back do roller buckles go? 

[James Rogers]

Curious here. How far back do roller buckles go? 

At least to the F&I war but not common like the 19th century

[Chuck Burrows]

Curious here. How far back do roller buckles go?  

They in fact go back at least to Roman times and were in fairly common use on armor and harness/saddlery by the Middle Ages