Q: I have a heavy metal belt buckle with a raised picture of a flying turkey and the words “Wild Turkey” in big letters on the front. Underneath that in smaller letters it says, “101 proof (8) eight years old.” On the back it says, “TM Reproduced by Arrangement with Austin Nichols New York, New York – 1974 Bergamot Brass Works.” Is it worth anything?
A: Your buckle was made in 1974 as a promotional item for the Austin Nichols Distillery for its Wild Turkey brand of bourbon. The buckle was made by Bergamot Brass Works, founded in Fox River Grove, Ill., in 1970. The company later moved to Lake Geneva, Wis., and then to Darien, Wis., in 1974. Its first products were belt buckles and hair ornaments. Later it made buttons, lapel pins, money clips, paperweights, plaques and more. Bergamot also patented a belt buckle with a bottle opener on the back. Your buckle is often found for sale online. Value: about $10.