Buckles from Cromer

We spent a few days camping in Cromer, Norfolk last weekend, and I was determined to come home with something exciting.

I was allowed by the husband to go into a wool shop in Sheringham, but with the strict instructions not to buy aything. Hmph.

However, when we strayed into a marvellous 'book' shop called Much Binding in Cromer, I found, in a set of drawers marked "Ephemera: Odds and ends" these two marvellous painted belt buckles.

The first one is larger, with a design of leaves and fruit. The second has 4 birds, which look oriental, although they might not be. The oval buckle at least seems to be gold leaf, or at least gold paint.

I think they might be quite old, but I'm not sure. They are certainly delicate, and have been a bit battered round the edges. There was a third, blue buckle the same as the square one here, but it was the most damaged, and worked as a bargaining tool with the man holding the holiday money!

So I did manage to find something exciting after all. I think these would look lovely on black silk ribbons, but they are too fragile to use, so they will stay wrapped in tissue until I finally manage to find a treasures cabinet to put them in.