What Are Horse Brass Medallions?

A horse brass is a brass plaque used for the decoration of horse harness gear, especially for shire and parade horses. They became especially popular in England from the mid-19th century until their general decline alongside the use of the draft horse, and remain collectors items today.

What are horse medallions for?

These medallions were popular decorations for the harnesses of working horses, especially in the mid-19th century. As horses ceased to be used for many tasks in the 20th century, the brasses were used as wall decorations and were popular souvenirs.

How can you tell if horse brass is antique?

One of the easiest ways of recognising a handmade brass is by the hammer marks on the back. They are, however, very rare and prized by collectors. The evidence for attributing the origins of horse brasses to the Romanies is the use of Romany motifs in all the early brasses — ie. hearts, moons, stars, sun-flashes, etc.

What does a horse brass do?

Originally horse brasses began as charms or amulets to ward off evil and to bring good luck, but they continued as festive decoration long after their original use had been forgotten. Horse brasses are fastened to various parts of the harness, to face pieces, to martingales and to side pieces.

What are the brass medallions in British pubs?

Horse brasses were developed in the 17th century to decorate and identify draft horses and are very collectible. In England you see them decorating the beams in pubs or hung by the fireplace in homes. They are even being used today as Christmas tree ornaments in equestrian minded homes…

Why do pubs have horse brasses?

The Victorian horse brasses reflected diverse subjects including royalty and significant events. They also became a useful form of advertising. But eventually, working horses fell into decline and many of the brasses found their way into public houses. They are used to decorate licensed premises to this day.

What is the rarest marking for a horse?

While it’s relatively common in dogs and cows, brindle is by far the rarest coat color in horses. Brindle stripes can show up on any base color in the form of light or dark hairs. Because this pattern is a result of two embryos fusing, the hairs making up the stripes can be a different texture to other body hairs.

What is the difference between brass and antique brass?

What is the difference between brass and antique brass? Brass in an alloy (a combination) of copper and zinc. The natural finish of polished brass is shiny, bright, and gold. Antique brass, on the other hand, is made to appear old or “antiqued” with a darker, low-luster finish.

What brass is worth money?

As of 2021, brass tends to be worth about $1.76 per pound with brass scrap coming in at around $1.74 per pound. When you compare this with the value of other recyclable materials,(including cast aluminum at about $0.45 per pound) you see why so many people want to learn more about recycling brass!

Should I polish antique brass before selling?

Antique brass should be polished and made shiny.

Are horse brasses collectible?

Horse brasses are still used today, and have also become popular as decorative items. Apart from the exceptionally rare brasses, fine examples can be still bought relatively cheaply and the diverse nature make them an ideal collectible.

Why do people put metal on horse hooves?

The metal horseshoes are there to protect the horse’s hooves. Horseshoes are curved pieces of metal that cover the bottom of a horse’s hoof. A person called a farrier uses small nails to hold the shoe on the hoof. These nails do not hurt the horse.

Why do bars have brass rails?

They allow people to rest their feet on them while standing at the bar to place an order and have a drink. They can be made from a range of materials, like stainless steel, brass, or even wood, running all along the side of the bar, at about ankle height.

Why do British pubs have arms in the name?

Why do Pub Names End in Arms? Like the Red Lion, pub names that end in arms are to do with heraldry. ‘Arms’ is referencing the heraldic coat of arms, it represents royal families, towns, cities and historic guilds. ‘Kings Arms’ is in the top 10 most popular British pub names.

Why are pubs called The Butchers Arms?

The pub is called the Butcher’s Arms as the building was formerly a butcher’s shop, together with a slaughterhouse at the rear. The building became a pub in 1880.

Why are pubs called The Three Horseshoes?

The name was derived from the belief that when a horse lost its shoe, the horse’s owner would stop at the inn to re-shoe his horse and thus when they came, the horse only had three shoes. The pub itself has had many landlords over the years but was kept in one family for over one hundred years.

Why are Irish pubs a thing?

For centuries, the Irish public house has been an integral part of Irish social culture. In Ireland the local pub is a pillar of the community the same way the local church would be. It functions as both a place to consume alcohol at leisure as well as a place in which to meet and greet the people of a locality.

Why are pubs on corners?

Most pubs in middle and inner Melbourne developed from the 1870s sit on corners because by law they needed two entrances: one to the public bar, and one directly to the accommodation – usually upstairs – without having to go through a bar.

What is the most dominant horse color?

Molecular characterization of six different dilution phenotypes in horses include Cream, Champagne, Dun, Pearl, Silver, and Mushroom. Cream is dominant and has a dosage effect in that a single copy of the cream allele (N/Cr) produces palominos on a chestnut background and buckskin on a bay background.

What is the most sought after horse breed?

There is no other breed with better bloodlines and a history of winning than that of a Thoroughbred. Because of its almost assured spot at the top of any competition, thoroughbreds are the most expensive horse breed in the world.

What type of brass is best?

CZ108 or CW508L is also commonly known as basic or yellow brass. This very popular grade of alpha brass is often used in cold heading projects and has good hot and cold workability making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
Brazing.