Brass Thingy for High Wheel Bicycle?

[curbdiggercarl57]

Dug this the other day with a turn of the century fob, and a aluminum Kansas token. Coins were also dug from the 1870's to 1940's at the site.
made of copper or brass, and about 1 1/2" tall. At first I thought that it was the end piece for a strip of leather, not unlike for a belt, but I now think otherwise. The marking under the high wheel is unusual. It appears to be...

I
10
9 Ra E

This one's got me stumped. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Carl

 

[romeo-1]

I think the mark is a British Trade Registry mark. Here's a bell clapper I found a few years ago with a similar mark. You should be able to date your piece based on that mark.

 

[romeo-1]

The "I"at the top indicates a metal object. The symbol below the "I" is the date mark. Let me see if I can find the date for that...

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

I think the mark is a British Trade Registry mark. Here's a bell clapper I found a few years ago with a similar mark. You should be able to date your piece based on that mark.

Man, that was real quick, Romeo, thanks!
How old is your bell clapper?
Carl

 

[diggummup]

Here, this should help you date it-http://unitt.ca/antiqueguide/BRM1.htm Looks like 1881. 10th day and can't see the month mark on the bottom. I've always thought this was for ceramics and pottery though. Never knew it was used on metal objects also. Cool. Nice find too.

 

[romeo-1]

I think the mark is a British Trade Registry mark. Here's a bell clapper I found a few years ago with a similar mark. You should be able to date your piece based on that mark.

Man, that was real quick, Romeo, thanks!
How old is your bell clapper?
Carl

1867...your mark is odd because the year symbol should be a letter...

http://www.squidoo.com/IDpotterymarks

 

[romeo-1]

Here, this should help you date it-http://unitt.ca/antiqueguide/BRM1.htm Looks like 1881. 10th day and can't see the month mark on the bottom.

Good link! I didn't realize that the symbols year location changed..

 

[diggummup]

Here, this should help you date it-http://unitt.ca/antiqueguide/BRM1.htm Looks like 1881. 10th day and can't see the month mark on the bottom.

Good link! I didn't realize that the symbols year location changed..

Yeah, I was just getting ready to mention that here is another link that goes on even further after they stopped using the diamond shape and started using numbers only. I've used it to date a couple estate sale finds in the past.
http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseum/Dating_English_Registry_Marks.htm

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

I think the mark is a British Trade Registry mark. Here's a bell clapper I found a few years ago with a similar mark. You should be able to date your piece based on that mark.

Man, that was real quick, Romeo, thanks!
How old is your bell clapper?
Carl

1867...your mark is odd because the year symbol should be a letter...

http://www.squidoo.com/IDpotterymarks

Don't know if it can be 1867, I believe the High Wheels first came out in the early 1870's.
1881 sounds about right, but the $64,000.00 question is what would it have been used for?
Trying to view as many photos of the old bikes, haven't seen anything similar.
Thanks all for the trademark info, those sites are now stored into the computer.
Carl

 

[Kenosha Kid]

...but the $64,000.00 question is what would it have been used for?

It's called a "head badge"...an ID plate mounted (usually) on front fork:

http://www.westsidepioneer.com/Articles/070209/HighWheels.html

http://www.prices4antiques.com/tran...eel-Co-Victor-circa-1885-54-inch-D9829307.htm

 

[NHBandit]

Very cool find. Brings back memories of when I was a kid growing up in western Mass. There was the home of a very well to do family in Holyoke Mass near the CT river that had a small free museum of those old bicycles. Johnsons Bicycle Museum if I remember correctly. It was in a very large garage on their property and was free to the public. They had many of the old bikes, some steel & some made entirely of wood and even had a 1901 Knox automobile on display. Very cool place & sadly it's gone.

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

...but the $64,000.00 question is what would it have been used for?

It's called a "head badge"...an ID plate mounted (usually) on front fork:

http://www.westsidepioneer.com/Articles/070209/HighWheels.html

http://www.prices4antiques.com/tran...eel-Co-Victor-circa-1885-54-inch-D9829307.htm

Don't really think so. I've dug a couple of head badges, and they usually tend to be curved metal, comprised of brass or copper. (Thanks, though)
The third photo down shows the back of my find. The jaw-like strips on the left and right hold in the bottom part of the front, like a hinge.
The front appears to be purposely bent at a angle, where it can't be made to compress completely. The hole on the top of the bike appears to have been punched later.
I keep thinking that's some part of an added accessory, tool kit?
Thanks for all the help, I'm gonna keep searching as much as possible.
This one may annoy me.
Sometimes, I need to be annoyed.
By inanimate objects, preferably.
Carl

 

[Goodyguy]

The bike is only a decoration. It could be part of a suspender clasp.
I say a clasp of some sort

 

[romeo-1]

I think the mark is a British Trade Registry mark. Here's a bell clapper I found a few years ago with a similar mark. You should be able to date your piece based on that mark.

Man, that was real quick, Romeo, thanks!
How old is your bell clapper?
Carl

1867...your mark is odd because the year symbol should be a letter...

http://www.squidoo.com/IDpotterymarks

Don't know if it can be 1867, I believe the High Wheels first came out in the early 1870's.
1881 sounds about right, but the $64,000.00 question is what would it have been used for?
Trying to view as many photos of the old bikes, haven't seen anything similar.
Thanks all for the trademark info, those sites are now stored into the computer.
Carl

1867 is the date of my bell clapper...

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

The bike is only a decoration. It could be part of a suspender clasp.
I say a clasp of some sort

Way too heavy for a suspender clasp, but I agree that it's some form of clasp.
The back of the item is what is throwing me off. Thinking it held either leather or wood.
It's still annoying me.
Carl

 

[Kenosha Kid]

If this helps (?)...the only reference I've found to a highwheeler type bicycle and a metal clasp (though it is from the 1800s, it's an American made one):

"The leather straps are missing the metal clip arrangement for tying on to levers".

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=249216 (scroll down to description)

I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase, but it's a possibility...

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

If this helps (?)...the only reference I've found to a highwheeler type bicycle and a metal clasp (though it is from the 1800s, it's an American made one):

"The leather straps are missing the metal clip arrangement for tying on to levers".

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=249216 (scroll down to description)

I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase, but it's a possibility...

Thanks Kenosha, that's the best possibility yet.
Thinking of taking the dremel to it, small chance that something else may appear on it.
Again, thanks for all the help!
Carl

 

[Goodyguy]

Only the American Star bicycle used levers instead of pedals. The leather straps in question were used on the American Star only.
The emblem on the piece in question depicts the large wheel being in front instead of the rear as it is on the American Star.
Therefore it is doubtful that the clasp is from the leather straps on an American Star bicycle.


From American Star description:
The levers carry the pedals on the forward ends and are hinged at the rear to projections on the lower rod of the frame behind the hub. At the bend of the levers, below the hub, leather straps are attached to pins. The straps, which are not original, pass around drums on the driving wheel axles. Pressure on the levers draw down the straps and rotate the drums which drive the wheel through a ratchet arrangement. A spring within the drum wound up the strap and raised the lever to make it ready for the next stroke.

Read more: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=249216#ixzz19j3arovN
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial


American Star

 

[ole_grisley]

looks to me like a clip used to keep the pant legs from catching in the spokes or the pedal.
I remember an old timer who had one of them bikes and he had clips to clip his pant legs so they did not catch on anything.

 

[Goodyguy]

Also could have been used to attach an accessory tool pouch or such.




You guys gotta see these bikes

Click on "antique bicycles" then by page number
http://www.metzbicyclemuseum.com/index.html

more antiques
http://www.metzbicyclemuseum.com/BicyclesNewAdditions.html