An odd piece with a womans name on it?

[Jyverb64]

I dug this yesterday thought it was a piece of scrap but when I cleaned it up I could see the birds foot and a womans name on it, I know its a bit bent up and it looks like something else was attached to it at one time?

 

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[artemis moon]

That's a very interesting piece! I'm not sure what it is, but, because it has that loop to attach something to, it reminds me of what Victorian ladies wore on their belts to keep their "necessities" with them. Forgive me, but I can't recall the actual name. I'm sure that someone on here will pipe in with the information though.

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

part of a clasp for an antique bead purse?

 

[DCMatt]

That's a very interesting piece! I'm not sure what it is, but, because it has that loop to attach something to, it reminds me of what Victorian ladies wore on their belts to keep their "necessities" with them. Forgive me, but I can't recall the actual name. I'm sure that someone on here will pipe in with the information though.

Chatelaine?

 

[DCMatt]

Are we allowed to know the woman's name?

DCMatt

 

[artemis moon]

Chatelaine?

That's the word I was grasping for in my senior moment! They say that memory is the 2nd thing to go Thanks!

 

[DCMatt]

That's the word I was grasping for in my senior moment! They say that memory is the 2nd thing to go Thanks!

And the first thing to go is... DANGIT! I can't remember.

So... Back to the topic at hand. Can YOU read the woman's name?

DCMatt

 

[old digger]

I may be wrong, but it looks like Helen Benson?

 

[Silver Searcher]

It Looks like a Victorian Women's posy holder, from a Chatelaine....nice find.

SS

 

[JOHUNT]

I see Helen Bennett.
There was a musician Named Helen Bennett in Oswego,NY in 1944
There was a Helen Bennett who married Gerhardt P. Ginter on Sept. 21 1947 in Pleasant valley,NY ; I found her obituary too.
Helen Bennett Ginter, 78
TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE
- Helen Bennett Ginter, 78, of the
Town of Poughkeepsie, died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002 at St. Francis
Hospital, Poughkeepsie.
Born Sept. 21, 1923 in Pleasant Valley, she was the daughter
of Sherman and Alice Triller
Bennett. She graduated from Arlington High School in 1942. On
Sept. 21, 1947 in Pleasant Valley,
she married the Gerhardt Paul
Ginter. Mr. Ginter predeceased
her.
Survivors include a son, William Gerhardt and his wife, Wendy
of Poughkeepsie; two daughters,
Pamela VanDe Water and her husband, Albert of Poughkeepsie;
Joann Fargione and her husband,
Robert of Clinton Corners; two
brothers, Robert Bennett of
Wappingers Falls; Norman
Bennett of Florida; a sister, Alice
Faust of Colorado; grandchildren,
Derek & Kyle VanDeWater; Mark
& Allison Ginter; and Justin D.
Fargione.
A Memorial Service is planned
for a later date at Christ Episcopal
Church, Poughkeepsie. Burial will
be in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. Memorial contributions may
be made to the Christ Episcopal
Church, 20 Carroll St.,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, c/o of
Summer Programs.

 

[Jyverb64]

The name is Helen Bennett Wood, I found on the 1875 map the name Wood about 2 miles from the property I found this on

 

[yaxthri]

"Chatelaine"? Cool.
In Bavaria something similar is a man's traditional costume accessory called "Scharivari"

 

[artemis moon]

Part of a thimble holder for a chatelaine?

 

[DCMatt]

If it hung from a chain by the loop the name would be upside down.

DCMatt

 

[DCMatt]

Could this be part of a "sewing bird" or "third hand"? Maybe the part that held the pin cushion?

I couldn't find any quite like it but after looking at the variety I can see the possibility. I can also see that an item like that would be personalized.

I found a reference to a Helen Bennett Wood (aka Mrs. Harvey P.) in Buffalo NY. Also found Harvey in Nassau NY in 1930.

DCMatt

 

[mical66]

i can see where they are going with this being a ladies purse clasp , the spot on the end would have had a ball soldered to it and be attached on one side of the purse with a exact copy on the other side , so the balls would slide past each other and lock the purse shut , and the ring had a chain that could have either been attached to a handle or the other side of the purse .

 

[tamrock]

My thoughts

The piece looks like the quadruple silver plate popular in the last quarter of the 19th century, or Victorian age. I've no clue for sure what it is, but lean towards it as a possible embellishment part for a casket made for Helen. Many caskets of the Victorian age had these type of decorations inscribed with the deceased name. I believe family members would remove the embellishments as keepsakes before they put it all in the ground. I have a casket plate made of the quadruple plate I picked up and gave to my middle daughter as she has an interest in Victorian things and all things of the macabre, along with this suto Victorian movement known as Steampunk. I can thank Tim Burton and his weird productions for that one. The casket plate my daughter now has is inscribed - Blanchey Fuggle - Died Dec 26 1874 - Aged 11 mouth 20Ds. It was I would say a very sad time of the holidays for a family 139 years ago.

 

[artemis moon]

This is one of those items that makes it difficult for me to rest until I see it solved! It looks to me that the bird like talon may be a griffin holding an egg in it's talon.

In trying to do some research on this item, I stumbled across this quote from Flavius Philostratus in his work The Life of Apollonius of Tyana. "As to the gold which the griffins dig up, there are rocks which are spotted with drops of gold as with sparks, which this creature can quarry because of the strength of its beak."

According to mythology, griffins were the guardians of gold! Now, as to what it actually may have been a part of, I have no idea..but it's definitely cool!!

 

[Jyverb64]

I'm checking with the local historian to see what info I can get on the name