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Philippine Made Belt Buckles


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easterneagle87

Here's another two I added today,

 

(1) Engineman, unfinished as ther is a block at the bottom to carve a name into.

 

(2) Gas Turbine Service Techincian, for: GSM1 A.B. POWELL, USS HARRY W. HILL DD-986

 

Probably 1980's manufacture.

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vforvictory1945

US Naval Station at Sangley Point, PI circa 1960 with earliest shot I've been able to find to date with someone wearing a Philippines Made GI buckle (LIFE Magazine Photo Archives)

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vforvictory1945

I was doing a bit of research for the heck of it and am curious if anyone else has come across any other maker markings on the Philippines Belt Buckles. In searching through the Worthpoint archives I've come across four sets of makers, Cruz Sons, Cavite Engraving, De Jesus Sons / Brothers , and MAR. It looks the like Cruz Sons buckles were 1950's, the Cavite Engraving Shop one is likely late 40's early 50's with the other Cavite Engraving one looking to be 1960's. The De Jesus Sons and MAR markings look to be popping up on 1950's buckles. Kind of interesting!

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vforvictory1945

Here's kind of an oddball sticker marking I've seen on a couple of buckles. I'm guessing Progressive Designs was either started / run by a Philippines engraver who immigrated to the USA or was somehow contracted with Philippine craftsman and you could place your order in the USA and the buckle would get made in the Philippines and shipped over. Whatever the story, this co. appears to be long out of business and given the look of the buckle and sticker I'm thinking this one is circa late 1960's or early 1970's in vintage.

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vforvictory1945

These numbered buckles by Bourke I'm guessing were done in the Philippines as a limited set and then sold through Buckles by Bourke. I've only been about to locate three picture examples of the 150 buckles. It appears they all looked similar and were numbered on the back. These are the only Philippines buckles I've seen to date that were done in an edition set, though I could be wrong.

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  • 2 months later...
vforvictory1945

Yeah, that guy needs to come down to at least $125.00 before I would take a stab at it.  Its a great buckle but the Ebay market hasn't seen a Philippines Seabees belt buckle fetch over $110.00 in the last 10 years (based on Worthpoint valuations).  At a Militaria Show or Shop $225.00, the Seller's asking price, wouldn't be off base but historically Ebay bidders haven't been paying that much.

With that said its a really cool buckle but I'm not feeling it for $225.00.  As of yesterday, 05/07/2020, it appears the seller took it down off Ebay.

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vforvictory1945

I agree with you @hink441.  The last Philippines Seabees buckle I won on Ebay was late 40's era and really highly detailed with SEVENTH BRIGADE and full engraving side to side and I paid $79.00.  I think that was in late 2019.  I thought that was a pretty fair deal.

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  • 1 month later...
On 7/6/2020 at 12:13 AM, vforvictory1945 said:

Here's a really cool one I picked up recently.  This has got to be the first one I've seen with a tank on it and I believe it belongs to someone from the LST-779 Naval Class Tank Landing Ship:

 

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/l/lst-779.html

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Great buckle!!

I believe this is US Army 779th Tank Battalion involved in the Philippines too late to see combat. 

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vforvictory1945

@hink441 - Thanks and good eye.  I believe you are correct that this buckle is likely for the US Army 779th Tank Battalion and not for the LST-779 Naval Class Tank Landing Ship as I originally thought.

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Gerradtgrant

Here is one I picked up a few years ago, had no idea they were all attributed to the Philippines, until I stumbled onto this thread. My research shows that the VT-27 was only in Corpus Christi TX from July 11th 1951 until sometime in 1952 when they moved Kingsville. These buckles are very cool, and all are a unique piece of art. Hopefully, I will find some more out in the wild in my adventures. 26ad72866a04464dd88ee7dc7cf2073b.jpg4d10f17d5e28e07f9323f77c807ee6cc.jpg

Sent from my motorola edge plus using Tapatalk

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easterneagle87

Here is an interesting buckle on ebay right now. Is it a sweet heart piece? I known Marian may not be just a female name, but could be a souvenir for them.  Do the sea horses represent "diving" . Good Philippine "Subic Bay" example.

Philip buckle Subic.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
1 hour ago, easterneagle87 said:

 

Here is an interesting buckle on ebay right now. Is it a sweet heart piece? I known Marian may not be just a female name, but could be a souvenir for them.  Do the sea horses represent "diving" . Good Philippine "Subic Bay" example.

 

Philip buckle Subic.jpg

 

Those look like Koi or Carp, not Seahorses and although Marian could be a male name (European male derivative of Maria) it's most likely either a female sailor or navy dependent's belt buckle.  It could also be a souvenir piece made for "Marian" back home.

 

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easterneagle87
3 hours ago, Salvage Sailor said:

 

Those look like Koi or Carp, not Seahorses and although Marian could be a male name (European male derivative of Maria) it's most likely either a female sailor or navy dependent's belt buckle.  It could also be a souvenir piece made for "Marian" back home.

 

 

I guess I got excited trying to see more into this than the simplicity of what is there. Yep, they are fish. these have been a pretty interesting category to look for.  

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easterneagle87

Can't get them all but here are three more that just sold on ebay. They all went at reasonably affordable prices. 

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Philip buckle West pac 80Subic.jpg

Philip buckle Coral sea.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
easterneagle87

Continuing this thread, BUT ... while on vacation I got his personalized beaut !

 

W. H. Fox, w/crossed anchors in top left corner. Nicely engraved. Engraved on the back, B. Lopez &n Sons. 

 

If you have info on this sailor, engraving company and time frame when done. Please pass along. Thanks.

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vforvictory1945

That W.H. Fox buckle is cool.  It looks like its 1950's era as well and that B. Lopez & Sons on the back is unique.  Nice find indeed!

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  • 4 weeks later...
easterneagle87

Interesting buckle listed in a mixed lot on ebay. "SCRAMBLES" , "CV-ASWN" , USS RANGER

 

item # 264843824067 

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Another in a different lot, From the same seller:   UISS Swordfish , WEST PAC 85

 

Item # 254699717339

philipp buckle USS Swordfish West Pac 85.jpg

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