Dragon handle?

[moncureww]

Found this on a site in Fredericksburg, Virginia with Revolutionary and Civil War history. Any ideas?

 

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[Cassews]

No idea, but it sure is pretty!!! Great find !!

 

[deepsecrets]

Bloody cool find!! You're going to be asked for measurements of size. Looks like copper/bronze??

 

[moncureww]

About two inches. Appears to be brass / bronze.

 

[deepsecrets]

Sea Serpent figure - might be part of door knocker/drawer pull?

 

[vhs07]

I think it's a dolphin.

 

[moncureww]

not a door knocker. Appears to have a concave or rounded piece of brass on the back its attached to. Take a look.

 

[deepsecrets]

View attachment 1198156 not a door knocker. Appears to have a concave or rounded piece of brass on the back its attached to. Take a look.

Agree - not a door knocker - too small also. Does the back end look like it's broken off something larger?

 

[moncureww]

Yes it does

 

[Spats]

I can't tell if the head is split vertically. If so, it is the rowel holder from a spur.

 

[ARC]

This is called a "dolphin".

 

[Spats]

Here is a similar spur.

 

[Spats]

If my spur theory is correct, there is a small portion of the larger spur piece still attached and you should be able to see a square outline when looking at the back end of the serpent where it attached to the spur.

 

[moncureww]

It is a spur. Head is split vertically.

 

[moncureww]

Square outline is there as well.

 

[moncureww]

That is almost the exact same spur. Can you date it?

 

[Fullstock]

Part of a very cool spur, neat find!

 

[BagLady]

That's awsome.

 

[moncureww]

It's likely part of a civil war officer's spurs. I did a little research online and the design is similar to Brigadier General James J. Archer's spurs that were sold on an online auction not too long ago.