Two of these would have been mounted on a waist belt, as the anchor positions for sword slings. They would have been worn by field, and possibly cavalry, officers as an alternative to the cross belt arrangement worn by the infantry and artillery. The buckle would normally have been the snake variety.
The style was, I suspect, copied from the French, as this sort of arrangement is rarely seen on English belts before the Napoleonic Wars. There is an outside chance that this is a French example, but I have a gut feeling that the boldness of the lion's face would suggest a British provenance. Similar pieces were also worn on naval officers' sword belts and, in particular, on the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund belts, which accompanied the gift of the sword in a mahogany box.
It is approximately 43 mm in diameter, is of two-piece construction and made of gilt bronze. The gilding is in exceptional shape, with little or no wear.
If you want to comment on this item—re quality, age, etc—please email me.
[Edged Weapons : Swords : British : 19th Century]
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