What is a Horse Brass
In the simplest terms, a horse brass is a decorative brass plaque attached to a horse’s harness, traditionally used on heavy “draft” horses. Centuries ago, horse brasses weren’t just for show, they were amulets. Carters and farmers believed that “the evil eye” or witchcraft could cause a horse to fall ill or go lame. To prevent this, they adorned their horses with symbols designed to ward off bad luck.
The rise of the Horse Brass
Horse brasses reached the height of their popularity in Victorian England. As heavy horses became the backbone of transport and agriculture, the brasses became a source of pride for the carters. A well-decorated horse reflected the wealth of the owner or the skill of the carter. Most brasses were threaded onto a leather strap called a martingale that hung down the horse’s chest.
Non-traditional uses
While manufacturers made traditional horse brasses for working animals, they created souvenir brasses purely for decoration, gifts, or tourism. This massive industry emerged in the late 1800s and exploded in popularity during the mid-20th century as the “British country pub” aesthetic became a global trend. Shops sold brasses featuring the crests of towns (like London, Oxford, or even Trowbridge!) to visitors as mementos.
Our Horse Brasses
We have several examples of the higher quality traditional cast horse brasses as well as some of the souvenir stamped brasses. We have a lovely set of three brasses that were made by A. Coke and Son, saddler and harness makers. The business was famously located at No. 11 Silver Street in Trowbridge. They provided the essential leatherwork, collars, and harnesses that kept the town’s delivery wagons, farm horses, and carriage horses moving. Brasses associated with this firm are usually the “cast” variety rather than the cheap stamped souvenirs. They were functional, durable, and intended to show off the status of a local businessman’s horse.
We have another early example from James and Pickard in Southwick dating to 1866. The business was primarily associated with the Pickard family, who were long-standing residents of Southwick and Wingfield. While A. Coke and Son were the “city” saddlers, James and Pickard were the essential craftsmen for the surrounding rural and agricultural community. James and Pickard were masters of heavy draft harness
Finally, we have a selection of the souvenir horse brasses which were made to advertise the town. There are two designs within the collection, one showing the town crest and the other showing a bridge over a river.
