Old Buckle- Need ID help

[BigChief14]

Hi All,
I found this buckle on an old homesite. Can anyone tell me how old it might be. I think the buckle is off a saddle rigging. The writing is hard to read.
Thanks in advance.
JS

 

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[BigChief14]

One more pic.

 

[dgaughan]

not sure chief very cool find

 

[nhbenz]

I think the text includes "Gathright", who was a saddle maker in Kentucky: http://users.tinyworld.co.uk/sidesaddlelady/Gathright Eclipse side-saddle.html

 

[BigChief14]

It definitely says Gaithright-Pat on the top.
Thanks Benz

 

[Baggins]

I had found one very similar to that sometime last year....it had a patent date on it of Feb. 10 '70...

 

[songdoghunter]

This is a lightning buckle. The latigo runs through it and the hook goes through the cinch ring on a saddle. It eliminates the need to thread the latigo through the cinch every time you saddle up.