Brass escutcheon?

DownNDirty · May 26, 2017

I found this at a home site where I have found a bunch of flat buttons-some with back marks and some not. So the house was there in the 1700s and early 1800s (based on the button types). It has a large threaded hole in the middle; it's pretty solid. Ideas? Thanks!

Tpmetal · May 26, 2017

its a type of nut for a bolt. used when making light weight wooden things to spread out the load. At least i think thats what it is. They had those on old racing carriages. Look into it may or may not be a lead for you.

BosnMate · May 26, 2017

It's not gun related, although it has the look of a 1700's sand cast item, just not something that was used on a gun. Keep in mind that in the 1700's early 1800's there were no brass screws or bolts. Screws and bolts were iron, each one individually filed to shape, each one a different size and thread. The bolt threads were filed, and in the case of an iron nut, the nut was heated red hot, and the bolt forced through, making the nut and bolt unique to each other. With your brass fitting, it couldn't have been heated red hot like iron, but the maker would have used an iron bolt that was forced through the hole to thread it.

BosnMate · May 26, 2017

After thinking about it, I said it's not gun related. It could possibly be an unfinished escutcheon on the opposite side of a cap lock firearm, the nut that bolted the caplock to the firearm. However if it was in fact used for that, it would have been polished and filed, so I really don't think that's what is was. The arrow points out what I'm talking about.

nhbenz · May 26, 2017

Reminds me of a slide-in nut, used to go into a rail/slot which is then fastened to something: https://www.amazon.com/Woodhaven-5760-4-20-Oval-Nuts/dp/B002TWBJSE?tag=treasurenet01-20

DownNDirty · May 26, 2017

BosnMate said:
It's not gun related, although it has the look of a 1700's sand cast item, just not something that was used on a gun. Keep in mind that in the 1700's early 1800's there were no brass screws or bolts. Screws and bolts were iron, each one individually filed to shape, each one a different size and thread. The bolt threads were filed, and in the case of an iron nut, the nut was heated red hot, and the bolt forced through, making the nut and bolt unique to each other. With your brass fitting, it couldn't have been heated red hot like iron, but the maker would have used an iron bolt that was forced through the hole to thread it.

Thanks for the insight-this is very useful info.

AlabamaRelic · May 26, 2017

This part would not be threaded. It acts as a washer and the bolt screwed into the lock plate.

BosnMate said:
After thinking about it, I said it's not gun related. It could possibly be an unfinished escutcheon on the opposite side of a cap lock firearm, the nut that bolted the caplock to the firearm. However if it was in fact used for that, it would have been polished and filed, so I really don't think that's what is was. The arrow points out what I'm talking about.
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