Bondy Brother's Belt ManufRS  Cast Clasps                        

                        By Nicholas Kane

   Recently, a unique clasp drew my attention that was discovered by a gentleman by the name of Bill Cochrun in 2023. The disc on this clasp is a variant of the Bondy Brothers Belt Manufrs  New York but does not exhibit the embossed "Belt Manufrs". Most interesting of all it is hard soldered to the "High Noon Eagle" tongue or male portion of the clasp . As soon as I noticed this I realized the same foundry most likely produced both of these clasps and the hybrid that I had unearthed in 2017.  The first image is of the standard cast Bondy followed by a standard High Noon Eagle & the hybrid clasps.

                    

                                                                                                             Standard Cast Bondy 

                                                                                                Daguerreotype with a fine Cast Bondy 

  Back of a standard cast Bondy

High Noon Eagle and correct cast slide 

        Bills complete High Noon Eagle clasp  with variant Bondy Disc rather than the High Noon Eagle

 

                     

               

    Bills Bondy tongue without " Manufrs "

Next will be another important variant from the same maker of these clasps which consists of a Bondy variant tongue that has a similar bar to the above with the standard Bondy center disc . This example was located by Harrison Cole and sold in 2020 to Mark D. and recently changed hands to Rick P. in 2024.

                                                                                          The back showing the same course file marks.

                                                                                       The solder outlines match & not a later marriage.

 The image above shows the standard Bondy center disc on a flat hybrid  tongue bar.

 

 Finally another hybrid like Bills , Ricks & the High Noon Eagle with a twist .

                                                                                 Hybrid I recovered within approximately a 4-5' area 

            Dug by Nicholas Kane in 2017 with guest Larry Soper who enjoyed the guess of which part was next as much as I with a shovel in hand . 

     Side view above showing the arc on this thicker down tapering T Bar than the previous example with the standard Bondy Center disc. This variant is slightly thicker than the standard Bondy all around . I am quite certain the High Noon Eagle disc was on this hybrid originally since there is almost no sign of solder and would only be on the two edges like the High Noon but with the slight arc a bit more surface area that if it was flat . I placed the High Noon Disc and it was a beautiful fit all around and dropped right in . 

To support this initial theory even more we must go back to when I dug this clasp . I ended up digging the matching parts pictured above with a Five Tailed Soldered On Eagle disc . I strongly believe the disc broke off in the diggings below this camp and the belt came back and some how this other eagle disc was tried and shortly realizing that the disc was larger  the parts were all discarded and possibly the entire belt . 

                                                         

Bondy variant above and incorrect center disc recovered together in a tight group.

Below you will find two different types of High Noon Eagle tongues and wreaths I felt should be noted .

      Above Daguerreotype of a California Gold Seeker wearing the Bondy clasp.This image is flipped therefore the wreath is on our left .

                                                                                      Above tapered leading edge and flat belt loops 

                                                                                                   The High Noon Eagle center disc

                                                                                                Original tinned High Noon Eagle back 

Rick ,

I want our work to stay together here so I will finally try and make time to wrap up what we started.

RIP 

Notes;

I am not certain who owns the two Daguerreotypes at this time I am using as visual educational aids so there is nobody to credit at this time.

The second image was removed from its case at a later date and revealed a wonderful Bondy clasp.

The eagle center disc had quite a few names over the last 20 years and Harrson Cole came up with "High Noon Eagle"  after he dug his first recently & it seams to have stuck.