brass beach find

[unclemac]

it is a sort of nozzle or tap that affixes to some other piece. Found on a beach at a 19th century habitation site. May not be associated with the site, could also have washed in. Seems to be corroded brass.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[bartshop62]

it is a sort of nozzle or tap that affixes to some other piece. Found on a beach at a 19th century habitation site. May not be associated with the site, could also have washed in. Seems to be corroded brass.

Rope tightener most likely for a tent.
They dont make them like that anymore from civil war up to ww1 era. View attachment 1904108

 

[Spats]

This type of tightener was patented post Civil War. I have found two in Civil War campsites, but they were left there after the war. Every time I see a picture of a Civil War tent, I look for these brass tighteners, but to no avail.

 

[unclemac]

that was quick, I knew it would be! thanks guys!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Spats is correct... your brass tent-rope adjuster/tightener's design was invented and patented in 1880 by Mr. H. B. Thompson. See the original US Patent diagram showing it, below. As the diagram shows, it was called a "tent slip." It was first issued for US Army use in 1889 -- 24 years after the end of the civil war. See the scan of the 1889 Army Order about it, below.

But of course, you'll see them for sale on Ebay as a being a civil war relic. Friendly advice: NEVER trust an Ebay seller when the words "civil war" are in the item's description. Instead, check to make sure. Grab the Ebay photo of the item and post it here.

The reason these 1880s-&-later tent-rope adjusters turn up in civil war camp sites is:
Until the late-20th-Century, a good site for an encampment tends to stay a good campsite, and therefore got used repeatedly whenever the Army does troop-training in that area. I personally dug one of these in a Confederate campsite near Fort Fisher NC.

About time-dating your Thompson tent-slip:
Ones made during the first 17 years after the Patent was issued were marked with the patent's date. After the patent expired, they were unmarked. Therefore, since yours appears to be unmarked, it was made sometime after 1897.

 

[unclemac]

thanks for the post zeroing in the date range. 1870-1910 or so has been the range at this site before.