This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sher wrote: "...What is "horse brass"?...."
Horse brasses are mostly flat, decorative pieces usually made entirely of brass, although sometimes they have pretty painted ceramic insets. I have heard they evolved from Gypsy ornaments originally intended to ward off bad luck. There are many designs found: old, traditional themes include the crescent moon, horse heads, and sheaves of wheat, but many of the newer brasses commemorate national events & anniversaries, kings/queens, and organizations.
Brasses on horses are not entirely a thing of the past, although I'll agree with Sue that most of them nowadays go on collector's walls than on horse harnesses. New brasses are collectible if they're especially well made, limited edition, or unusual. The new brass you found on eBay is nice, but a bit odd in design -- for instance, why is there a celtic knot on a brass celebrating a Norwegian horse? Seems like the maker was mixing his cultural metaphors.
For horse use, brasses are meant to be mounted, either singly or in multiples, on a leather backing strap. There will be a loop and buckle, a ring, or snap at one or both ends of the leather strap.
The finished strap is attached to various places on the horse's harness -- wherever the owner wants it for decoration. Straps with brasses can be attached to the bottom of the collar, draped down the forehead (by hanging the strap from the crown of the bridle or browband), hanging over the loins or rump from the top of the hip drop assembly, or draped across the center of the back. It's not unusual for a horse to wear more than one strap, depending on the regional tastes and owner preference.
You can see simple horse brasses on the martingales of the outer two horses on the cover of the Winter 2002-2003 issue of The Draft Horse Journal.
Jean Gayle: A brass would not typically go where a bridle rosette would be placed (where the browband loops around the throatlatch and headstall). Brasses are usually a bit too large for that purpose. They also do not have a loop back that would allow them to be attached to the bridle at that location.
For more information about horse brasses, see also "Joel's Horse Brass Page" and the "Antique Horse Company". The Antique Horse Company has old and new brasses for sale. Links to both sites are at http://classicbells.com/Info/Links/Links.htm
DeeAnna
