Has anyone else dug one of these? What are they?

[BuckleBoy]

Hello All,

When I dig one of an item that I can't ID, I search for the ID...but some items are tough as you know. When I dig multiple examples of something, or one of my buddies does, then I start thinking that it should be possible to get an ID (like the scythe handle ferrules I posted here several years back). Well, here we go again. The two pieces in the first five photos came from a late 1700s/early 1800s site in Kentucky where Hill Billy dug his Nova Constellatio Copper in 2010.

The pieces are thick either rolled or stamped brass, and they both come to a point on the end, which was curled up. I thought at the time that someone might have done this when they tossed the piece away, much like wadding up a piece of paper before throwing it in the trash can... I didn't think about the fact that the brass is not flimsy and could not have been rolled up on the end like that by hand without great effort.





There is a riveted attachment, with a flower-like, bowl-shaped top piece on the second piece. This may be a big clue to identifying it.







Well, day before yesterday in Louisiana, Shane dug a piece that reminded me of the pieces from two years ago that I had dug. When I fished them out of the brass bin, they were identical in design. The piece was broken in the same spot as the longer piece I had dug (photos 1 and 2 in this post; broken at a hole in the piece; compare this with the last photo in the post). The end of Shane's piece was likewise curled up.

Whatever this piece was, the curl was important, and had something to do with the use, or a decorative effect.





Has anyone else ever dug a piece like this? Any ideas about what it is?

Best Wishes,


Buckles

[Hill Billy]

Now that I've seen the pics I know the piece's you were talking about. I'm going to have to go through my scrap brass pile and find them. Will post pic's later if I do.

HB

PS: wanna see the Nova?

[CC Hunter]

My hunch is that these items are the decorative rim from a suspension lard lamp. Were any square brass chain link type items found nearby? Or cast brass scroll shaped pieces with fancy designs? (These look similar to the side plate design on trade muskets)

CC Hunter

[kuger]

My hunch is that these items are the decorative rim from a suspension lard lamp. Were any square brass chain link type items found nearby? Or cast brass scroll shaped pieces with fancy designs? (These look similar to the side plate design on trade muskets)

CC Hunter

CC,what again are those "flower", shaped knobs we find?Arent they from a tray?

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

[CC Hunter]

Here's an example of a suspension lard lamp fixture from the 1840's-1850's. Note the rim band around the base, where the suspension arms are attached.

CC Hunter

[kuger]

My hunch is that these items are the decorative rim from a suspension lard lamp. Were any square brass chain link type items found nearby? Or cast brass scroll shaped pieces with fancy designs? (These look similar to the side plate design on trade muskets)

CC Hunter

CC,what again are those "flower", shaped knobs we find?Arent they from a tray?

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Guess,I should have just asked my partner?

[BuckleBoy]

Now that I've seen the pics I know the piece's you were talking about. I'm going to have to go through my scrap brass pile and find them. Will post pic's later if I do.

HB

PS: wanna see the Nova?

Awesome! You have more of those pieces?

And YES I wanna see the NOVA.

[CC Hunter]

CC,what again are those "flower", shaped knobs we find?Arent they from a tray?

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Kuger,

Are you referring to those little pewter type knobs that are shaped like 5 flower petals with a flared base? Those are off tinware lids.

CC Hunter

[kuger]

CC,what again are those "flower", shaped knobs we find?Arent they from a tray?

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Kuger,

Are you referring to those little pewter type knobs that are shaped like 5 flower petals with a flared base? Those are off tinware lids.

CC Hunter

Yes! Thanks bud

[BuckleBoy]

My hunch is that these items are the decorative rim from a suspension lard lamp. Were any square brass chain link type items found nearby? Or cast brass scroll shaped pieces with fancy designs? (These look similar to the side plate design on trade muskets)

CC Hunter

I have not found any brass chain pieces at sites that these were found at. I have seen those scroll pieces and dug them before, if we're talking about the same thing... The scrolls I have found had iron attachments, but were made out of brass.

Best Wishes,

Buckles

[BuckleBoy]

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Any chance you could post a photo? Does yours have the little daisy shaped attachments too?

[kuger]

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Any chance you could post a photo? Does yours have the little daisy shaped attachments too?

I know mine do not have that attachement.I will have to do some major looking,but I know I have at least one

[fairangel]

They kind of look like curtain rods holders to me.

[BuckleBoy]

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Any chance you could post a photo? Does yours have the little daisy shaped attachments too?

I know mine do not have that attachement.I will have to do some major looking,but I know I have at least one

Awesome. I hope you are able to locate it. Do you know what the approximate age of the site it was dug at was?

[mcmich]

Never dug one but it looks like a hanger of some sort. Maybe an over the door wreath hanger or a picture rail hanger. Doubt the latter if it was a rustic home site. Those were probably used in upscale homes. Looks like the one broke at the hole thru the center. Maybe nailed into the door? Would make sense to breaking at the hole. Just guessing

[kuger]

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Any chance you could post a photo? Does yours have the little daisy shaped attachments too?

I know mine do not have that attachement.I will have to do some major looking,but I know I have at least one

Awesome. I hope you are able to locate it. Do you know what the approximate age of the site it was dug at was?

Well....it wasnt where I thout it was,but I have one more place to look...next weekend.
It came from a mixed site 1850-1870

[DCMatt]

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Any chance you could post a photo? Does yours have the little daisy shaped attachments too?

I know mine do not have that attachement.I will have to do some major looking,but I know I have at least one

Awesome. I hope you are able to locate it. Do you know what the approximate age of the site it was dug at was?

So these brass items are mid to late 19th C... Are they from camp sites or house sights? That info will narrow down the research significantly.

DCMatt

[kuger]

BB,I have found at one specimen similar to what you have and never tried to figure them out.Thanks for bringing it up

Any chance you could post a photo? Does yours have the little daisy shaped attachments too?

I know mine do not have that attachement.I will have to do some major looking,but I know I have at least one

Awesome. I hope you are able to locate it. Do you know what the approximate age of the site it was dug at was?

So these brass items are mid to late 19th C... Are they from camp sites or house sights? That info will narrow down the research significantly.

DCMatt

B.B.'s seem to come from sites much earlier than mine,but thats not to say what ever they were used for wasnt in use for a long period

[BuckleBoy]

So these brass items are mid to late 19th C... Are they from camp sites or house sights? That info will narrow down the research significantly.

DCMatt

The two sites I found them on were certainly pre-CW sites. No Victorian Era items found on either site at all.

They are from house sites. Although the one here in Louisiana had a mix of house and CW, the one from Kentucky was strictly a homestead that saw little occupation if any post-CW.

Best Wishes,

BB

[Mike in Berks]

Here ya go BB
Dug this in 1999 at a 1750's homesite. Never thought i'd see another like it.
It was bent that way when i dug it. 1/2" wide As far as an ID





1 more photo to show where it broke at the hole