A beautiful tradition once shrouded in beliefs.
Today, most horse brasses are used to decorate heavy horse harness for special events as well as the walls of homes and offices, but it wasn't always so...
Hundreds of years ago, in fact, during B.C. times, when humans were just starting to evolve and began living off of the land, many came to believe in the existence of both good and evil gods. Because of this, talismans, statues, amulets and other various items were made for worship in an attempt to protect themselves and their possessions from those gods and using both horses and oxen to farm the land, the need for their protection was paramount. The earliest known amulets, dating back to the fifth millennium B.C. were made of polished rock, some depicting simple sun-like rays.
One of the most interesting finds dates back to Roman times. A bronze bull's head was found in Wilcote, England which clearly displays a roundel on it's forehead. Oxen were the most widely used animal during that time period and it can be assumed that the use of such amulets date back to at least that era.
During Medieval Europe, metalworkers used an alloy known as latten. This alloy consisted of copper, zinc, lead and tin and produced a metal with a warm golden color used for decorative purposes since it looked like gold but was hard wearing and could retain its brilliance for some time. Brasses began to be produced using sheets of latten and some of the earliest surviving samples show how the patterns were actually hammered by hand into the metal.
Other methods of producing the brasses include sand casting. This method was, and still is, the main process of production today. By creating patterns in lead and then pressing them into a special blend of casting sand to create an "impression", metal workers then pour molten brass into the hollowed area. Once hardened to a degree, the brasses are knocked loose from the sand, de-burred and polished. Because of the flexibility of the sand and the human process at which the production is completed, each brass will carry it's own character flaw(s), although attempts are always made to limit their amount and size.
Stamping is another process of creating brasses, but is not very popular. Sheets of brass are actually inserted into a press which contains a hard metal die of the design to be produced. Extreme weight is quickly pressed onto the brass effectively cutting and pressing the brass to form the end product. Very few, if any, character flaws exist in this process unless it is already existent in the sheet before pressing. Although they are very beautiful and look near perfect, they lack some of the warmth and uniqueness of the sand cast versions.
England, for may years, has been and still is, the "gateway" to horse brass collecting. Many of the early manufacturers have since closed, but there remains a small few who still feel inspired to continue the tradition.
As time progressed and lifestyles changed, many different designs were added. The sun and moon were surpassed by shields and heralds, animals and icons. Today, there are innumerable various designs that can be found, both old and new. In fact, old patterns are being taken out of "storage" and reused to create new pieces. In addition, new designs are constantly being thought out and produced. In fact, we at PickADilly have created many of our own designs and hope to continue the tradition, of course, all of the brasses will be cast in England by master craftsmen. If you have any ideas for a design and would like to add it to our list for consideration, just drop us a note at PickAdilly@Roadrunner.com !
We hope that this brief look into the history of collecting horse brasses has inspired you too to discover it's many riches! Enjoy perusing our website and if you have any questions, please contact us. We'll be happy to assist you!
Thank You,
The folks at.....PickADilly
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