Civil war ?

[Bruce R]

A picture of an item marked unknown from one of my brothers civil war books, now I say that it’s a wrench designed for square nuts and wing nuts, anyone agree ?

 

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[KeyaPaha]

I can see it being that.

 

[invent4hir]

According to the description the length is 3" so the handle is about 1 1/2" long. It wouldn't offer much torque to tighten/loosen a square/wing nut as big as those. Not sure what it is... maybe to open/close a valve(?).

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I can understand the author of the book thinking this might be a wrench, but if electrolysis were used, I think this relic would look considerably different.
I don't see this being a button board, as most of the examples I found were made of either brass or wood.
My first thought was a chest escutcheon plate, but depending on the thickness of the piece probably not.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help Bruce,

Dave

 

[pepperj]

A picture of an item marked unknown from one of my brothers civil war books, now I say that it’s a wrench designed for square nuts and wing nuts, anyone agree ?View attachment 1898229

I see the thought of it being a wrench-but it would be really a small one at 3", and trying to span a large nut of 3/4".

 

[releventchair]

Wonder if it could turn stubborn or stuck bayonets?

 

[Retired Sarge]

Wonder if it could turn stubborn or stuck bayonets?

That was my first thought, a bayonet wrench/tool, but I couldn't find an example shaped like that. I know the Russians used them on their Mosin Nagants.

I know the US imported a lot of weapons prior to the Civil War, so I tried looking at European bayonet tools but I had no luck.