Horse brasses are brass plaques used for decorating the horse harness gears, especially for shire and parade horses. The origin of the Horse Brass goes back many centuries when man first used the horse extensively on the land. The horse brasses were believed to have the supernatural powers to ward off evil spirits and protect the horse from accident or injury.  They became very popular in England between the mid-19th century until their decline alongside the use of the draft horse.  Today, they have become a collector's item, sometimes regarded as amulets and charms of good-luck to ward off the "evil eye", or simply as lovely wall hanging objects and often can be found decorating pub and Inn walls, or you can find them on your next Christmas tree! 

Royal Marriage Prince & Princess Wales 1981: Vintage Horse Medallion Royal Marriage Prince Charles Princess Diana Wales.

Suffolk Punch: Suffolk Punch horse design.

Cockerel Rooster on Trumpet and Rope: traditional form decorated with a pierced border edge surrounding a central rubbed cockerel standing on a trumpet and rope.

Pair of Birds in Nest: a Colonial style horse brass, taken from an image of Colonial hex signs that were popular in the late Edwardian period (before 1910's) through the 1920s.  

Rampant Lion Bottle Opener: horse brass as a bottle opener with the king of beasts, a rampant lion (rearing on his hind legs ready to do battle) in the center, facing to the left which suggests its aggressive and intimidating nature.

Manx Cat: the Manx cat is a breed of domestic cat which originated on the legendary Isle of Man which lies between Ireland and Scotland in the Irish Sea, and where pagan rituals and legends cast extensive influences.  One of the myths is about the tailless Manx cat, first discovered on the Isle of Man several hundred years ago. It has a naturally occurring mutation that shortens the tail. Many Manx have a small stub of a tail, but Manx cats are best known as being entirely tailless.   

Hobby Horse Bike Pushbike Bicycle: such early bikes were made around 1808 from which modern bicycles were evolved; 

All items are vintage collectables so they come with the nuances of age which gives them their character; sizes and conditions as per photos; please contact me if the weight of the item is important to you; items are not always cleaned before listing.  


Postage for multiple buy will be combined.