Shoe buckles

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Buckles set with paste stones were highly prized in the late 18th century. As the material to make the stones was rather cheap, the bucklemaker could concentrate on cutting and setting the stones to maximize their full brilliant potential. This handsome pair of buckles boasts stones of an unusual cut and oblong shape, seemingly to fit the curve of the buckle itself. The detail of the interior gold border shows they are of high quality. The cloth latchets on shoes were drawn through the buckles to keep the shoe tight over the instep, so while they served a functional purpose, many buckles, such as this pair, were decorative as well.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art