Horse Brass Bridle Medallion: Oxfordshire Crown & Cushion 1712 Bottle Opener Design, Vintage Equestrian Décor, England, 1930s - SOLD

A vintage brass horse bridle medallion in the Oxfordshire Crown & Cushion design, imprinted 1712, with the added surprise of working as a bottle opener.

• Materials: Brass
• Dimensions: 2.75" diameter (widest point); 3.75" long including hanger
• Origin: England (unmarked by a manufacturer; design traces to Oxfordshire)
• Era: Vintage 1930s-1950s (estimated)
• Condition: Very good; minor surface scratches, spots and markings consistent with age, with the old patina left in place. Please review photos closely before purchasing, as all sales are final.

This medallion would have hung from a working or parade horse's harness, and it keeps some of its shine beneath the old patina. We didn't polish it, since many collectors like the aged look, but it can be brightened if you prefer a gleaming finish for decor. The crown and the imprinted 1712 sit on the face, and there is no manufacturer's mark.

A great conversation piece for the bar at your next Derby party, or tied with ribbon to a vase, ginger jar or lamp base, tucked into a gift wrap or hung on a Christmas wreath or tree.

Horse brasses have adorned bridles since before the Roman era, with decorative medallions first appearing in England during the 1700s and later in Scotland. So many motifs were made that each could stand for the horse owner's trade or place of pride: farmers chose trees and barnyard animals, other trades chose churns and barrels, and noble families commissioned their crests or beasts such as the lion and unicorn. Hunting circles favored the stag, fox, hounds, eagles and swans. Believed to ward off evil spirits, they are now collected and displayed as decorative pieces.

Pair it with our other vintage horse brass medallions for a collected-over-time look on a mantel or bookshelf.