Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    From $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The History and Origin of Horse Brasses
    The History and Origin of Horse Brasses
    The History and Origin of Horse Brasses
    Ebook83 pages57 minutes

    The History and Origin of Horse Brasses

    By Reginald A. Brown

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This vintage book contains a detailed treatise on horse brasses, being a guide to their origin and the symbolic meaning of various designs. This fascinating and profusely illustrated volume is highly recommended for horse brass collectors and those with an interest in the subject, and would make for a worthy addition to any collection. Contents include: “Horses – Sports and Utility”, “The Power of the 'Evil Eye'”, “Sun Worship and the Horse”, “Ancient Records of Amulets for Horses”, “The Earliest English Horse Amulet”, “History of Amulets and Horse Brasses in Great Britain”, “Victorian and Later History”, “A Set of Brasses for a Cart Horse”, “The Origin and Meaning of Various Designs”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on horses.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRead Books Ltd.
    Release dateApr 16, 2013
    ISBN9781446546505
    The History and Origin of Horse Brasses

    Related to The History and Origin of Horse Brasses

    Related ebooks

    Crafts & Hobbies For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • UNLIMITED

      Horse Brasses

      Aug 6, 2021

      Horse Brasses
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      How We Made Friends with Horses

      Apr 1, 2019

      How We Made Friends with Horses
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Horseshoe

      Jun 10, 2022

      The Horseshoe
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Equestrian’s cave

      Aug 10, 2021

      The Equestrian’s cave
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Collecting Creatures

      Jan 14, 2022

      Collecting Creatures
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Knight’s Spur

      May 13, 2021

      A metal device designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots, spurs direct horses or other animals to move them forward or laterally while in the saddle. During the Middle Ages, the status of a knight became closely related to his horse a

      1 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Art Of Horse Armor

      Jul 11, 2023

      The Art Of Horse Armor
      1 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Horns Of Plenty

      Nov 15, 2023

      Horns Of Plenty
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Ammonites in Math & Metaphor

      Sep 1, 2020

      Ammonites in Math & Metaphor
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Top 10 Toys

      Aug 31, 2023

      Top 10 Toys
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      From The Horse’s mouth

      Dec 3, 2020

      From The Horse’s mouth
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Steal Magnolias

      Jan 17, 2022

      Steal Magnolias
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Gay Is the Thing with Feathers

      Nov 27, 2023

      Gay Is the Thing with Feathers
      16 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Mythical Creatures

      Oct 1, 2024

      Mythical Creatures
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      A Giant-sized Enigma

      Mar 14, 2024

      A Giant-sized Enigma
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      A Confusion of Camels

      Jul 1, 2019

      A Confusion of Camels
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Headless Phantom Coach Horses

      Jan 27, 2022

      SEND FORUM SUBMISSIONS TO THE EDITOR: [email protected] There are a remarkable number of traditions from around the British Isles featuring phantom coaches. These are often driven by headless coachmen, sometimes with even the horses pulling t

      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Letters

      Oct 1, 2020

      Letters
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Forgotten Beasts Of Burden

      Aug 5, 2022

      Forgotten Beasts Of Burden
      7 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Saddle Up

      Jan 30, 2020

      Saddle Up
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      One Ring To Rule Them All

      Jun 1, 2022

      One Ring To Rule Them All
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      In Search Of The celtic Headhunters

      Mar 15, 2024

      The ancient Celts are hard to pin down precisely, since the term is a vague one that has been used in different ways by different people. For the Classical Greek and Roman authors, the Celts (or Gauls – the terms were often used interchangeably) comp

      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Tom Bass Vs. Tomfoolery

      Mar 23, 2021

      Tom Bass Vs. Tomfoolery
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      How Horses Shaped Britain

      Aug 24, 2023

      How Horses Shaped Britain
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Horse We Rode In On

      Oct 14, 2024

      The Horse We Rode In On
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The History and Origin of Horse Brasses

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The History and Origin of Horse Brasses - Reginald A. Brown

      INTRODUCTION

      Considerable interest is now taken in horse brasses. Originally they decorated cart horses, but now, while still used for this purpose, are also collected to make an attractive display on the walls and fireplaces of club rooms, lounges, etc. Their collection provides an interesting, instructive and inexpensive hobby, although the early hammered brasses are rare, expensive and difficult to find.

      Many owners will be surprised to learn that the designs, though not necessarily the actual horse brasses, have a long history and that they are symbols of old religions and superstitions. Apart from those recently manufactured to meet the requirements of the collector, practically every genuine old horse brass incorporates a design or symbol, which it was originally hoped would bring good luck, secure the good will of some ancient god, or protect both horse and driver from the ‘evil eye.’

      I am aware that many collectors argue there is no authenticated historical reason for many of the designs and it is also true that the largest number of brasses are of fairly recent origin, and made between 1860 and 1910 (in which year the largest maker of brasses ceased operations) and that the majority of cast pieces were designed between 1850 and 1890, often as a trade symbol. It is also very unlikely that farmers and drivers purchasing brasses bought them for any particular lucky or symbolic reason, but for the simple and human idea of adorning their treasured horses with attractive brasses of a general or even locally popular design.

      Even while all this is true, the designs are generations old, though most of the brasses are quite modern. Surely it is too much of a coincidence when we find that the majority of the designs still used are traceable to lucky symbols, or associated with ancient gods and goddesses who have been linked with the horse, sport or agriculture for centuries.

      Many patterns, apparently so casually made and used, are as old as humanity, and new patterns are often combinations of old ones. Therefore, though it is certainly difficult to prove, it may well be assumed, in view of so many symbols having long and verified associations with the horse, that all horse ornaments were originally amulets. When in the 19th century, the use of horse brasses came into general vogue in this country, the old symbols associated with the decoration of the horse were worked up into designs for horse brasses. Though the original meanings were forgotten, in practically all designs traces of the old symbols are retained.

      In all parts of the world lingering superstition encourages the use of amulets, and many devices still in use can be definitely traced to the participation of the horse and its owner in old religious and pagan ceremonies of long before the Christian era. Horse brasses, are, in the view of many, interesting survivals of the time when superstitions were rife: show how widespread were these superstitions, and still more how the power of the old beliefs is still perpetuated from generation to generation, long after the original meanings are lost.

      Probably the most conservative man in the world is the horse owner, and still decorates his cart horses, the descendants of the old war horses, with amulets and various symbolic designs on the harness.

      The driver who polishes up the decorations and brasses on his horse before going to the show or fair is not only performing the same task, but is often polishing up exactly the same designed amulet, as that belonging to the man, who, accompanied by his horse, proposed to attend some sun festival hundreds of years ago.

      The plain disc or rosette, which is still to be found on both sides of the brow band of the bridle is a relic of sun worship, and even to-day farm hands polish up these discs because of a vague belief that it may improve the weather and make the sun shine.

      Some years ago an old Somerset farmhand told me it was unlucky to put a peacock brass on a gelding. He did not know the reason, but had heard from his grandfather that they must always be put on the mare. Now on reference to page 49 you will see that in early days brood mares were decorated with a peacock designed amulet, or with peacock feathers, because this bird was associated with the worship of Hera, who presides over birth.

      The two original reasons for the use of horse brasses and other decorations, and the basis of nearly all the pattern designs, are the association of the horse with sun and moon worship and, in later years, the fear of the effects of the ‘evil eye.’

      THE POWER OF THE ‘EVIL EYE’

      THE USUAL REASON for using brasses or amulets was, and still is, either to bring good luck, or to ward off the effects of the ‘evil eye,’ as it was at one time thought

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1