1882 IHP, 1886 dated buckle, plus something interesting?

Z.K. · Oct 6, 2015

First chance I've had to post these from Sunday's hunt; I returned to the cornfield where I found a burned up draped bust LC and Brown Bess rifle sideplate last weekend (dressed for the first time in bright orange, as bow season started this weekend!). It was a good day!

The IHP had a clearer date of 1882 before I got greedy with the hydrogen peroxide...these "fertilized finds" require different care. Wheat cent is from 1918, and there was a strange assortment of make up compacts, bringing the total to 5 for a fairly small section of the field. May have been the middens ground for the homesite that was there, but most of these have still had powder and mirrors in them.

I really like the belt and horse/oxen plow buckles and the "Imperial Orange Gilt" button, but the "PAT. 1866" ornate, delicate buckle is a very cool find. Any body seen one before?

Also, are those more gun parts? I looked at an exploded view of the brown bess second model, and couldn't be sure. The cylindrical piece feels special to me, but perhaps I'm just being supersitious. Would really appreciate any ideas or identifications.

Thanks, hope everyone is doing well!

Argentium · Oct 6, 2015

Wow ! I love that buckle - Beautiful !

park pirate · Oct 7, 2015

Wow that buckle is beautiful congrats..

Goldiver · Oct 7, 2015

Your cylindrical piece appears to be a very old maple tree tap used to collect sap for syrup making. You would drill a hole and tap the pointy end in and hang the bucket wire between the two nubs.

The brass butt plate looks to be from some sort of Kentucky long rifle musket.

Steve

Scrappy · Oct 7, 2015

That buckle is great and I'm liking that it still has the pointed double-chape design. I hope to get an ID on the buttplate too.

Steve

CASPER-2 · Oct 7, 2015

CYLINDRICAL PIECE LOOKS LIKE A RAMROD GUIDE TO ME-WOULD MAKE SENSE IF YOU HAVE OTHER RIFLE PARTS

Z.K. · Oct 7, 2015

CASPER-2 said:
CYLINDRICAL PIECE LOOKS LIKE A RAMROD GUIDE TO ME-WOULD MAKE SENSE IF YOU HAVE OTHER RIFLE PARTS

Thanks Casper, I think we're getting very close! As much as I like the idea of a very early maple sugaring tap (a good idea, Goldiver, thanks) this is looking much more like a lower ramrod guide on a musket. Here is a collection of ones for the brown bess...mine is different but close. Likewise with the buttplate; many subtle variations in design making it hard for a firearms pre-novice like me to figure out, even with google. Hoping some of the gun experts can weigh in.

Thanks

seychik · Oct 8, 2015

Yes, I just found a delicate buckle like yours this summer near Fairplay, Colorado at an old ghost town mining site near a trail head for a "14er", Mt Sherman. Mine had some deteriorating thin white cotton belting attached when I uncovered it. Beautiful site and day for hunting. Even stepping on a nail that went through my boot didn't ruin the day. The buckle was my only find. Looks like you had a great hunt also.
Cindy

Z.K. · Oct 9, 2015

,

seychik said:
Yes, I just found a delicate buckle like yours this summer near Fairplay, Colorado at an old ghost town mining site near a trail head for a "14er", Mt Sherman. Mine had some deteriorating thin white cotton belting attached when I uncovered it. Beautiful site and day for hunting. Even stepping on a nail that went through my boot didn't ruin the day. The buckle was my only find. Looks like you had a great hunt also.
Cindy

That was awesome, Cindy. How funny to see a match in such a totally different environment. Thanks very much for posting!

Fullstock · Oct 11, 2015

From it's profile, I believe that the buttplate is from a circa 1840's Kentucky Rifle, and the other object is a cast brass rear ramrod pipe. Because its cast and not made of thin rolled brass (and it has the two lugs to be double pinned to the stock), it appears to have been from an English musket or fowler, possibly a blunderbuss, although that would be hard to confirm. . Neat finds!