Civil war relic ... but what is it?

[filman123]

A friend of mine found this at a civil war campsite. It brass and feels sold.

Any ideas what this is. Many other items were found including a fork, bullets and other items used by the military.

Thanks in advance!

 

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[silverbar]

Just a guess, but it looks like it may be a piece off of a Bowie knife..

Joseph Rodgers & Sons English Bowie Knife with Illinois Civil War History

 

[cti4sw]

Could be the top to a cane, or walking stick. Maybe even an old brass doorknob.

 

[coinman123]

Just a guess, but it looks like it may be a piece off of a Bowie knife..

Joseph Rodgers & Sons English Bowie Knife with Illinois Civil War History

That's a good possibility. I agree, it looks to maybe be a piece of the handguard on a civil war bowie knife.

 

[richeysd76]

 

[gunsil]

That's a good possibility. I agree, it looks to maybe be a piece of the handguard on a civil war bowie knife.
View attachment 1078995

Bowie knife pictured here is a modern fake. Most bowie knife experts feel that the ball end guards did not appear until the 1880s. None of the English bowie knives used brass for guard or mountings, they used nickel silver. Therefore the piece in question is not from a civil war era bowie knife.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I thought it looked like the (broken-off) brass stem-&-ball of a civil war Enfield cartridge-box's flap-closure finial when I saw the photo. Then reading down through the followup posts I see that Richeysd76 has kindly posted a photo of an intact Enfield cartridge-box finial. So, that is what I think your friend's find is most likely to be. Being found at a civil war site is what makes me lean toward that ID, because there are other similar looking ball-on-a-stem objects. I'm not 100% certain, that's just my "best guess," based on its shape, its size in comparison with the dime in the photo, and the dig-location.