Post your slave/servant relics here. tags,tools,anything related

[DigIron2]

I find these type of artifacts to be very interesting,and a big piece of our history,so if you have anything that is relevant please post them here.This relic here is the most relevant artifact to that piece of history that I have recovered so far.It is a leg iron that I recovered at a colonial plantation here in V.A. sometime back.It is missing it locking mechanism and unless it was attached to something else,it is missing its other half.I researched the plantation and found that the family that lived there possessed 5 slaves.I have always wanted to find a tag,but living here in V.A. I think there is a very slim chance of that.So if you have something you wouldn't mind sharing please post here.

 

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[CincinnatiKid]

I have none.
I didn't even know that slave tags are exclusively from Charleston SC til I read an earlier thread. Doubt any have, or will, be found near here.
Many slaves traversed this area via the Underground Railroad, but I've found nothing.
Peace ✌

 

[DigIron2]

I have none.
I didn't even know that slave tags are exclusively from Charleston SC til I read an earlier thread. Doubt any have, or will, be found near here.
Many slaves traversed this area via the Underground Railroad, but I've found nothing.
Peace ✌

A tag has always been on my wishlist.I don't think I have ever heard of one being found out side of S.C. but i might be wrong!I guess there is always that chance that some of those tags could have made their way elsewhere through the slave trade, or somehow or another,but probably a very slim chance of finding one.I mean they are rare to find even in S.C.

 

[Mud Hut]

I find these type of artifacts to be very interesting,and a big piece of our history,so if you have anything that is relevant please post them here.This relic here is the most relevant artifact to that piece of history that I have recovered so far.It is a leg iron that I recovered at a colonial plantation here in V.A. sometime back.It is missing it locking mechanism and unless it was attached to something else,it is missing its other half.I researched the plantation and found that the family that lived there possessed 5 slaves.I have always wanted to find a tag,but living here in V.A. I think there is a very slim chance of that.So if you have something you wouldn't mind sharing please post here. View attachment 1125311

I am fairly certain that your item is half of an iron horse hobble and has nothing to do with slavery.

 

[DigIron2]

I see what you mean,very similar,but look into slave leg irons,very similar also.The plantation where it was found had a slave quarters,and it was found not to far from where I believe the quarters to be.I could be wrong,but I believe that is what it is considering where I found it.

 

[wainzoid]

I am fairly certain that your item is half of an iron horse hobble and has nothing to do with slavery.

I would have to agree

 

[Mud Hut]

I see what you mean,very similar,but look into slave leg irons,very similar also.The plantation where it was found had a slave quarters,and it was found not to far from where I believe the quarters to be.I could be wrong,but I believe that is what it is considering where I found it.

It's unfortunate that so many of these things have bee misidentified as shackles and/or leg irons over the years, either from not knowing what they really are, or as a means to make them something they aren't to increase their intrigue and value. It is sorta like the caltrop debacle and the levying of "everything is Confederate" to all the nondescript iron relics found in "Civil War Camp Sites."

 

[DigIron2]

what is a leg iron supposed to be?It fits around my ankle like a glove.Put one on each of my ankles, lockum up,and I would have to hobble too.

 

[Nugs Bunny]

A leg iron wouldn't have an open link, the side that is open is where the other round link connects, the pawn shaped link connected to a chain that went to the other cuff. They had locking versions too, kinda like "The Club" for horses.

They were used for training and when changing horseshoes, also sometimes used on cows. It's still a slave era relic and would have been used by the servants so nice find!

Early set of iron chain side horse hobbles with original swivel intact.


WESTERN RELATED ITEMS | Dyer's Auction Service


Here is a set of the locking type.

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[DigIron2]

Thanks nugs, I see now!Just when I thought I might be getting somewhere in the argument too, thanks allot man: I do disagree with that last piece posted being a horse hobble.Too me there is no doubt that one is a shackle, I think they might have labeled that one a horse hobble for certain reasons.Though I do think it's very possible that the horse hobbles could have been modified to put on runaways in some cases,being something that the overseers would of had on hand.Thank you guys for the i.d. at least now I know.live and learn.

 

[BosnMate]

Criminals were shackled and also the military used them for punishment, like a ball and chain, chain gang, etc., so it would be hard to prove an item strictly used for slaves.

 

[DigIron2]

Criminals were shackled and also the military used them for punishment, like a ball and chain, chain gang, etc., so it would be hard to prove an item strictly used for slaves.

I know.Allot of stuff out there is hard to prove,but some things depending on where they are found can give a good hint.I guess some of the only relics in this department of collecting that can really be proven would probably only be the tags,tokens, stuff like that.Wish someone would post some.

 

[DigIron2]

since no one is posting,here are some tools.These are some of the plantation hoes I have found, 'again, really no way to prove it, but when found in numbers on a particular site, more likely then not, that is what they are This tool here is called a froe head, it was used for splitting out wooden shingles This last one is a adze blade,it was used for hewing logs.I have a couple more adze's around here somewhere

 

[Nugs Bunny]

Thanks nugs, I see now!Just when I thought I might be getting somewhere in the argument too, thanks allot man: I do disagree with that last piece posted being a horse hobble.Too me there is no doubt that one is a shackle, I think they might have labeled that one a horse hobble for certain reasons.Though I do think it's very possible that the horse hobbles could have been modified to put on runaways in some cases,being something that the overseers would of had on hand.Thank you guys for the i.d. at least now I know.live and learn.

You're welcome and no problem.

There are auction sites that have horse hobbles listed as leg irons and they sell with no problem.

The last pic I posted is another kind of hobble, it's meant to prevent horse theft, it would be placed on the front legs and locked.

One sure way to tell the difference are the locking mechanisms, anything used to restrain a human from that time period has a locking mechanism on both cuffs or one that locks them both.

On the flip side of that coin, horse hobbles could have been used on people, while they could have been removed it would take a moment. Most plantations would have had them on hand and while not as secure as actual leg irons, they would reduce the chances of a successful escape.

Here is a collection of handcuffs and leg irons A Collector's Gallery of Handcuffs here are the leg irons in that collection A Collector's Gallery of Handcuffs

 

[Nugs Bunny]

It's unfortunate that so many of these things have bee misidentified as shackles and/or leg irons over the years, either from not knowing what they really are, or as a means to make them something they aren't to increase their intrigue and value. It is sorta like the caltrop debacle and the levying of "everything is Confederate" to all the nondescript iron relics found in "Civil War Camp Sites."

I have a coffee can full of Confederate pull tabs, I find 'em everywhere, they sure must have been some thirsty SOB's back in the day!

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5758566
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6293295

 

[DigIron2]

thanks for the help nugs.very interesting stuff

 

[DigIron2]

i tellya,if i had a quarter for every tab,casing and shotgun shell, i'd be a rich man

 

[johnnycat]

My quest, when I lived close to Arizona was to find a brass number tag the Calvary made the Apaches wear while living on the reservation. I tried to get on a Mescalero Apache reservation many times without success. One tribal board president told me it was better to keep stuff like that lost. That was my last attempt.

 

[Nugs Bunny]

My quest, when I lived close to Arizona was to find a brass number tag the Calvary made the Apaches wear while living on the reservation. I tried to get on a Mescalero Apache reservation many times without success. One tribal board president told me it was better to keep stuff like that lost. That was my last attempt.

Some Indian tribes have wisdom.

You're probably lucky he didn't scalp ya right there on the spot!

 

[Mud Hut]

Criminals were shackled and also the military used them for punishment, like a ball and chain, chain gang, etc., so it would be hard to prove an item strictly used for slaves.

I doubt they used those for shackles, but like I said before, this topic runs hand-in-hand with the saga of the infamous caltrop.