Driving Harness Decorations

Have you ever wondered how the use of fancy brass ornaments on horse harnesses came about? Brass harness decorations, called brasses, have a long and storied history. Their use continues worldwide today. They have also become popular with collectors.

  1. Origins

    • The decoration of horse harnesses has been around for thousands of years. Ancient cultures, like the Egyptians, Turks and Saracens used handmade brass, iron and gold decorations on harness work to bring good luck and protection or to ward off evil. Evidence of very early brasses was found in a 2000-year-old grave of a Siberian Chieftain in the Altai Mountains. His mummified horses were buried with him, along with their harnesses and brass amulets.

    European Brasses

    • Crusaders.

      Early brasses were brought to Europe by people returning from the Crusades. Among their spoils of war were the enemy's horses, with all their fine harnesses. Knights quickly adopted the beautiful decorations for their own mounts. Royalty commissioned fine brasses for special royal events, such as weddings or coronations. Eventually, brasses were used all over Europe by draft horse owners.

    Manufacturing Brasses

    • Blacksmith at work.

      Though some of the earliest decorations were sometimes made of iron or other metals, brass is the most common material for harness decorations, hence the term "brasses." Early pieces were individually created by a metalworker or blacksmith, and were hammered, heated, filed and polished entirely by hand. By the 1700s metal casting was being used to create more elaborate designs. The method also allowed for manufacture of multiple pieces of the same design. By the 19th century, factories were mass-producing brasses by stamping designs from sheets of brass.

    Brass Designs and Symbolism

    • Ancient cultures used a variety of celestial symbols as amulets. Sun, stars and the moon in its full or crescent form were common. Later designs included animals, birds and representations of deities. To ward off evil, sometimes an eye design was used. It was widely believed that the light reflecting off the brass would divert the "evil eye" of someone wishing harm on the horse owner.

    Brasses as Trademark

    • Draft horses throughout Europe and beyond were ultimately work horses used for pulling wagons to market or for family use. Tradesmen and businesses designed brasses to represent their trade or goods. For instance, a brewer might use a brass with a barrel stamped on it. Horses owned by municipalities wore symbols of their city or county. Wealthy families used the family crest or coat of arms. Some brasses carried the name of a farm or family, or simply, the name of the horse.