Glasgow at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries was developing its own distinctive style. Influenced by links to Europe and themes such as symbolist art, Art Nouveau and Japanese design, Glaswegian designers were producing more abstract, linear motifs, as reflected in these buckles.
They were made by Talwin Morris, who also designed books for the Glasgow publisher Blackie & Son. Morris was close to other well known Glaswegian figures, including Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret MacDonald.