HUGE UNGER BROS ART NOUVEAU STERLING SILVER BELT BUCKLE MAIDEN GODDESS DEMETER CERES
SYMBOLIC QUEEN VICTORIA
***PLEASE NOTE: Shipping charge includes insurance****
HUGE: 2.75” approx.
EXTRA EXTRA RARE!
This design is not commonly found and especially in a belt buckle. I have never seen another in over 40 years of collecting Unger Bros. What’s extra great is that it comes with its original belt buckle keeper.
The buckle depicts an iconic Art Nouveau maiden surrounded by the juxtaposition of highly unusual elements: poppies, a dragonfly, a sheaf of wheat and sun rays.
Maidens with the sheaf/sheaves of wheat element most commonly represent the goddess Demeter, also known as Ceres, who is a symbol of fertility, agriculture, and the harvest in the Greco-Roman pantheon of gods.
Unger Bros. often used designs based on mythology and popular themes from important literature, such as Athena (Minerva), Demeter (Ceres), the Sirens, Medusa, Ophelia, etc.
Additionally, in this buckle the various elements are believed to be a symbolic tribute to Queen Victoria who died in 1901, approximately when this buckle was made. Queen Victoria was much-beloved and souvenirs and remembrances of her were produced for years after her death and are collected to this day.
In the Victorian lexicon of flower symbolism, poppies denote remembrance, especially for a lover mourning the loss of a beloved. The opium derived from the poppy induces sleep, in this case eternal rest, which represents the constancy of lovers even after death.
The poppy analogy refers to the enduring love between Queen Victoria and her adored husband, Prince Albert. When he died in 1861, Queen Victoria plunged into a deep state of mourning from which she never fully recovered for the remainder of her life.
The sheaf of wheat is the traditional symbol of bounty and the earth’s abundance. This is also analogous to Queen Victoria, a matriarchal figure who in effect came to represent “Mother Earth” to her subjects, many of whom had never known another ruler in their lifetime, as she reigned for more than 63 years.
The sun rays make reference to the fact that during her reign, the British Empire expanded to such an extent that the phrase “The sun never sets on the British Empire” became a catchphrase of the time, meaning that the Empire was so far-reaching that at least one of its territories was in daylight at all times.
The dragonfly is an unusual element added to the mix. A creature of the wind, it is always moving —thereby signifying life’s ever-constant process of change and outlook to the future. It was during the reign of Queen Victoria that Great Britain experienced some of her most progressive changes as she presided over the industrialization of the Empire and its global expansion.
We have other antique silver items currently listed which have the same design (see last image).
Wonderful antique condition with no issues to mention. Has the soft, warm patina that all collectors crave.
UB mark on the buckle and buckle keeper marked STERLING.
This buckle is very special and the buyer will be greatly pleased.
Where and whenever will you find another?
All reasonable offers will be considered.