BUCKLES, metal instruments, consisting of a rim and tongue, used for fastening straps or bands in dress and harness. The use of B., instead of shoe-strings, was intro duced into England during the reign of Charles II. They soon became very fashion able, attained an enormous size (the largest being called Artois buckles, after the comte d'Artois, brother of the king of France), and were usually made of silver, set with dia monds and other precious stones. In the latter half of last century the manufacture of B. was carried on most extensively in Birmingham, there being at one time not less than 4000 people employed in that town and its vicinity, who turned out 2,500,000 pairs of B. annually, at the average value of 2s. 6d. per pair. When the trade was at its height, how ever, fashion changed, and in 1791 we find buckle-makers petitioning the prince of Wales for sympathy, on the ground that the introduction of shoe-strings had nearly ruined their trade. The prince promised to assist them as far as he could, by wearing
B. himself, and enjoining his household to do the same; but fashion was too strong even for him, and B. became almost extinct. The opportunity, however, as is remarked by a writer in .Votes and Queries for 1854, " which buckles afford of ornament and ex pense has preserved them as a part of the court-dress; and of late years they have appeared a little in private society. They are generally, though not always, worn when a prince of the royal family is of the party; and at the king's private parties, although the rest of the dress be that usually worn, buckles are almost indispensable." Large shoe-buckles, of silver or other metal, are still worn by the clergy of several con tinental countries, as part of their ordinary costume.