Unusual Horse Brasses

These are some of the more unusual horse brasses.  There is pixie leaning on a mushroom, which is quite rare. An Indian chief’s head and a buffalo.  There is also a windmill, oak leaves, a lion rampant, a crown and an elephant. A thistle, a stirrup, a cow and a fox.  

 

Their meanings:

The Windmill

A design common in Lincolnshire.

The Buffalo and Indian Chief

New designs, meaning not known.

Foxes Masks

Very early design, recorded in,’the Origin and Meaning of Various Designs’. 

I ham a cunen Fox you see;

Ther is no harm attached to me.

It is my Masters wisch to place me here,

To let you know he doth not fear.

The Cow

A reference to the Egyptian Goddess of Agriculture, Isis.  Recent in origin and part of the farm animal series.

The Pixie

Pixies and dwarfs were of course metal workers. The Pixies of Cornwall delighted in riding the farmers horses during the night. If a horse was found sweating in the morning it was said to have been pixie ridden. A modern design for the collector.

The King Rufus’ Stirrup

This design came out in 1946. made by order of a New Forest Saddler. It was illegal to keep large packs of dogs for hunting or any large dog. If the dog could pass through a large iron stirrup,ten and a half inches by seven and a half; kept at Verderer’s Hall, Lyndhurst, then it could be kept as a pet.  If a large dog was found it had part of its toes cut off so it could not chase the deer.

The Heart in Sunrays  

A popular amulet around the world. Important in many cultures. It represent speed endurance, fidelity, long life.

The Oak Leaf

The Druids worshiped the oak forests and so here a continuation of those superstitions.  Said to come fromt he North and Jacobite in origin.

The Lion Rampant

A common theme on heraldic devices. used in many coats of arms in England, goes back to the crusades.

The Elephant

goes back to ancient horse trappings, regarded as an emblem of kingly rank common on coins and harness in 225 BC. sometimes with the name Jumbo, which this one has.

The Thistle

The emblem of Scotland, was recognised very early. King James lll had a cloak with thistles and a unicorn on it. There is a story about how when the Vikings landed they stepped on thistles and their cries of pain woke up the Scottish camp.

Crown in a Wreath

Once again a common heraldic emblem. Goes back to Queen Victoria when this emblem became very popular. Common on the continent.

The Half Moon

Another common emblem shielding evil from its wearer. Common in Norfolk and Scotland.

The Wool Merchants Symbol

Can often be found on Tombstones, especially in the Cotswolds. It was the sign of the old wool merchants.

Sheath of Corn

These signify wealth, prosperity, they are heraldically called ‘Garbs’.  They are on the arms of the Earls of Chester and other North country families. They also appear on the Worshipful Company of Innholders to which every tavern keeper had to belong in the 14th century.

Sun Wheel

Once again the sun is a major repeller of the ‘Evil Eye’ and popular with the Romans, the Danes, going back as fara s 1000 BC.