Silver Knee Buckle
Buckle up, buttercup, it’s Tiny Tuesday!
This silver knee buckle dates to the late eighteenth century and features a scalloped edge with a stylized Maltese cross pattern. The simple, yet fashionable – and essential – item belonged to Timothy Stowe (1745 – 1832), of Malden, Massachusetts, great-grandfather of Fall Riverite Edward Stowe Adams (1856-1948), who donated the piece to the FRHS.
Also known as a breech buckle, this piece was a commonplace fashion accessory for men from the sixteenth century to the early nineteenth century. Breeches reached down to a man’s knee, where straps would be fastened to close the leg opening. Buckles were made of metal and could be simple or ornate in design, often set with jewels or semi-precious stones. These accessories began to fall out of fashion when knee breeches were replaced with long pants for everyday wear in the 1820s. However, the shorter pants and their accompanying accessories remained typical livery for male servants throughout the nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries.