GUEST: My sister has been taking me to auctions in Pennsylvania for the past 20 years. Sometimes I pick up unusual pieces, and this piece happens to be one of the ones that caught my eye, but I wasn't sure of, but I loved it, so I got it.
APPRAISER: Do you wear this piece?
GUEST: No, I haven't worn this piece. I believe it's a belt buckle, and it doesn't exactly fit my style.
APPRAISER: Do you know what it's made out of?
GUEST: I believe it's made of pot metal, because it's very heavy, and then the stones, I think they're considered paste?
APPRAISER: It is a belt buckle or a sash buckle. It dates from between 1900, 1915. And I believe that it's German or Austrian. It's Art Nouveau in the German or Austrian style. Secessionist Jugendstil, Jugendstil, which means "youth style." It's sort of progressive, it's in-your-face, it's macabre, it's sort of goth. The metal itself is not pot metal-- pot metal would be too porous to stand up to use as a belt buckle. But it's what we call German metal, which is an alloy of nickel, zinc, and copper.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: The stones are, as you referred, paste or early rhinestones. How much did you pay for this?
GUEST: Less than $20.
APPRAISER: Unsigned as it is, as old as it is, I would say that today at auction, this sash buckle would take an estimate of $400 to $500.
GUEST: Wow! That is excellent. Thank you so much.
APPRAISER: You're welcome.
GUEST: Ooh!
