A brass whatsit from an early 1800s site

silversweeper · Nov 19, 2014

A brass whatsit from an early 1800's site

I found this brass whatsit on a site where settlers coming thru this area camped in the very early to mid 1800's. Have found loads of flat buttons and a few coins on the site, some CW relics and etc.. This piece has me puzzled. It feels like a handle from something and my pointer finger and thumb fit it a lot like they would the handle from a coffee mug. The shape, with the little ball, have me scratching my head. Anyone have any ideas??

lookindown · Nov 20, 2014

The buckle looking piece is part of a boot spur...maybe the other piece has something to do with a spur.

wstgo · Nov 20, 2014

Do those two pieces go together?

silversweeper · Nov 20, 2014

wstgo said:
Do those two pieces go together?

The spur part and the mystery piece come from two different sites several miles apart but.....they wouldn't fit together in any case. The mystery piece is quite a bit heavier/thicker than spurs. Thanks for the input.

silversweeper · Nov 20, 2014

Nitric said:
Kind of looks like a coat hook that has been bent.

Definitely not part of a coat hook and it genuinely appears as if it has not been bent accidently but rather manufactured in this shape for some use. I just wish I knew what for......

DCMatt · Nov 21, 2014

Possibly a rein guide.

DCMatt

Lord Verdigris · Nov 21, 2014

Looks like a old broken three wheeler clutch or brake handle to me!

silversweeper · Nov 25, 2014

K1DDO1979 said:
Looks like a old broken three wheeler clutch or brake handle to me!

View attachment 1082332

Um no.....not unless they had them a hundred years ago on something horse driven....lol. Looks similar but I'm thinking that it was a rein guide. Thanks for the input.

silversweeper · Nov 25, 2014

DCMatt said:
Possibly a rein guide.

DCMatt

Thanks Matt. This is what I am betting on as well. Thanks for the input. Makes sense in regards to the type of site it came from.

ARC · Nov 25, 2014

part of a hook

bowwinkles · Nov 25, 2014

Rein guide as in part of a horse harness. Leather straps passed thru these to the horse bit.

Kiros32 · Nov 25, 2014

silversweeper said:
Um no.....not unless they had them a hundred years ago on something horse driven....lol. Looks similar but I'm thinking that it was a rein guide. Thanks for the input.

I have found clad and pop tops buried among and sometimes deeper than colonial artifacts in foundations. Don't ever rule out the possibility of finding modern relics among older relics. With that said, I do think what you found is much older than a brake handle.

NHBandit · Nov 25, 2014

Looks like a hook off the end of a wiffle tree. I just happen to have one hanging on my old smoke house for decoration. Obviously there have been many different styles used over the years and it's not an exact match.