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Horse brasses were fastened to various parts of the horse’s harness, and a horse could wear up to three hundred at a time. The brass on this face piece, which would hang from the bridle between the blinkers, has the design of a lotus or lily, a very ancient symbol of good luck. It was acquired by the donor in Somerset.

1 face piece: leather; metal (brass); good condition

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘The brass on this face piece has the design of a lotus or lily, a very ancient symbol of good luck. // The leather measures 7 inches. // See also 51/280 [Horse brasses almost certainly began as amulets to ward off evil and to bring good luck, but they continued as festive decoration long after their origin had been forgotten. In England the earliest horse ornaments made of brass date from the reign of Elizabeth when they were made entirely by hand from sheet metal. The heyday of horse brasses was between the years 1851 and 1900 when they were cast. Horse brasses are fastened to various parts of the harness, to face pieces, to martingales and to side pieces. A horse may wear as many as three hundred brasses, though when they are more numerous the smallest are little more than studs. Many horse brasses are symbolic.]’, MERL ‘Associated information’ form – ‘Name of Object: Horse brass // Age…: various - probably 19th Cen. // Name and address of present owner: [...] Rusthall Tunbridge Wells // Description of use to which it was put…: 8 unmounted brasses - 4 on leathers - 1 swinging head piece with foot plate added for convenience of standing. I believe the head of King Edward VII is the latest of the brasses - studded leather to which it is attached considerably older. Bought in Somerset 15 to 30 years ago mainly at Minehead.'

1800-01-01 - 1899-12-31

Nineteenth century

Metal, brass, Leather