Featured Two paste pieces, a buckle and brooch- are they Georgian?

Hello! I'm hoping you can help me with the age of these two paste pieces. I picked them up separately from two different auction houses. One is a buckle- (is it a shoe buckle or belt buckle?). The second is a brooch which has (if my eyes don't deceive me-black dots, which usually indicates Georgian I think?). Also, what is the little part sticking up in the middle of the brooch for?, it screws up and down . I haven't found anything older than Victorian yet so I'm hoping one of these is a little older . Neither seems to be testing as silver (I thought the brooch would be), what metal could they be? Thanks for any and all info!

 

The metal is possibly Nickel/German silver.

 

The first one is definitely as sash buckle. The second one does seen to have black dots behind the paste bits and the pin stem is right. I wish @Ownedbybear were around; she'd know for sure.

 

Gorgeous pieces! I'm no expert, but I'd be happy to say the brooch was Georgian if it was mine. The buckle also looks that old in its setting, but I think the cut of the stones wasn't done until the 3rd quarter of the 19th century? The prong setting wasn't popularized until the 1880s, so it would still have your sort of setting if dated to later on in the century. Just my two cents but I defer to an expert!

 

They are both 18th century imo. The 'boomerang' brooch has excellent quality black dot paste.

You don't mention or show the size, but I would say a belt or sash buckle.
A shoe buckle is usually rounded to 'fold' over a shoe, except if it sits on top of a broad bow or similar decoration on the shoe.

To hook into a hole in the other end of the belt or sash. The wide toothy bit secures the buckle to its own end of the belt/sash, the prongs hook into the other end.

 

T

Thanks so much, wow I didn't realise 18th century that's wonderful!

The buckle is 2.5"L x 2"W. Re. the screwed sticking up piece in the middle, I meant on the boomerang brooch (rather than on the buckle)- maybe just part of it's construction?

 

Most of the Georgian period was during the 18th century.

It was part of a parure, and could be screwed to another piece of jewellery, maybe a tiara.

 

I just always assume early 19th but earlier than that is great

Ah, gotcha! I wondered if it could be been multi purpose thank you!

 

Thanks for your input and help everyone!