Wells Fargo & Cos Belt Buckle

[TheCoolest]

Wells Fargo & Co's Belt Buckle

Got out for a little bit today, I checked part of a retired farm field. This is my good find for today.



I saw a few of them online they came in silver and brass I found the wrong one.
Has a Wilkinson patent date of 1871 but I'm not really sure how to date it because they all look a little different.
Also says Handford & Wildman .Some say they were done by tiffany and some say they were faked. Still trying to do some research so who knows?

I was happy to find it though.

 

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[austin]

They are all fakes. Tiffany never made a belt buckle. Give them a call and they will tell you. I was partners in an antique store. Customer had one. Called Tiffany and they just laughed and then explained.. Checked with Sotheby's and they laughed too. Made in the 1970's or more likely the 1980's to take advantage of buckle popularity. Worth not very much. Sorry...

 

[Dust Eater]

If that's the case, you should just wear it.

 

[CRUSADER]

They are all fakes. Tiffany never made a belt buckle. Give them a call and they will tell you. I was partners in an antique store. Customer had one. Called Tiffany and they just laughed and then explained.. Checked with Sotheby's and they laughed too. Made in the 1970's or more likely the 1980's to take advantage of buckle popularity. Worth not very much. Sorry...

Without knowing what you knew, I thought it too good to be true & the reverse construction was also a sign. Great info, & sorry to the OP for the bad news but its what makes this place great. You get to the truth.
Plus side, its a good display piece & conversation piece as well.

 

[stefen]

Does that mean my Brooklyn Bridge buckle is a fake too...

And here I thought I had a one-off...

There goes my retirement nest egg...

 

[TheCoolest]

They are all fakes. Tiffany never made a belt buckle. Give them a call and they will tell you. I was partners in an antique store. Customer had one. Called Tiffany and they just laughed and then explained.. Checked with Sotheby's and they laughed too. Made in the 1970's or more likely the 1980's to take advantage of buckle popularity. Worth not very much. Sorry...

Yeah I figured, didn't think it was really worth anything. I just thought it was a cool find. I had never seen one and it was my first buckle find.

 

[CRUSADER]

Yeah I figured, didn't think it was really worth anything. I just thought it was a cool find. I had never seen one and it was my first buckle find.

It is a cool find.

 

[ajaj]

They are all fakes. Tiffany never made a belt buckle. Give them a call and they will tell you. I was partners in an antique store. Customer had one. Called Tiffany and they just laughed and then explained.. Checked with Sotheby's and they laughed too. Made in the 1970's or more likely the 1980's to take advantage of buckle popularity. Worth not very much. Sorry...

So, all Wells Fargo belt buckles are "fake", and not just the faked Tiffany ones? I don't see Tiffany's on this one. Just curious...and always anxious to learn.

aj

 

[PA Sleuth]

Still a nice find in my book!

 

[sutphin]

NEAT ...

 

[ARC]

A lot of fake "Wells Fargo" stuff out there... from cash boxes to locks to keys.

 

[CRUSADER]

So, all Wells Fargo belt buckles are "fake", and not just the faked Tiffany ones? I don't see Tiffany's on this one. Just curious...and always anxious to learn.

aj

If you look at the reverse you can tell its a late 20th C construction. Doesn't mean its 'fake' as such, just filling a market demand at the time.(when brand new, no-one would believe it was 19th C) Its only those that try & sell it now as 19th C that give the piece a bad name.