Finds from the Field

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I hunted 1/3 of this field for 3hrs today; it is located directly south of an 1840 homestead that has since been pulled down to make way for a highway. I made some cool finds at the old home site back in 2012 and was hoping for the same today. When I was packing up the original landowner’s grandson came over for a chat and to see if I had found anything interesting. Before his grandparents’ house was demolished I presented him with a shadowbox picture frame with some of the more interesting finds from the site. He proceeded to give me a very insightful background family history of the field. He told me that, “back in the 1920’s his aunt had been very particular about what crops should be planted here and about the crop rotation for each year.” The first pic is what the field looks like today, the second of what it looked like in 2011. The third pic is an aerial view of the original size of the field; the fourth pic is of what the old homestead looked like.

My first find was the brass horse harness bell, followed by the broken & bent spoons lastly came the brass loop ‘mystery relic’. At first, I thought it was a reins guide or possibly the ‘thumb portion’ to a pair of scissors, but I really don’t know. I’ll include a number of pics of the ‘mystery relic’ here, if anyone can help me I.D. it that would be great!

Thanks for looking & happy hunting,
Dave

 

[Pointman]

I am glad that I stumbled on your post. I found something very similar to your mystery find this past March and I have been wondering also. The lot that I found it on had a rental house that was torn down. It wasn't a very old house, and I only found a few 40's coins. I found the item in the backyard, which DOES butt up against a very old lot. The house that was on the adjacent lot, was built no later than the 20s' and I found some turn of the century Barber coins and the usual 40s stuff.

My guess is that most of the older items (I also found a 20's token within 25' of this item) that I found on the property lines were part of the older house.


My mystery items looks like it has a silver plating on it.

 

[vpnavy]

Great finds! Almost looks like a rifle band and loop for strap?

 

[pl8man]

Cool old relics Dave !
Glen

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I am glad that I stumbled on your post. I found something very similar to your mystery find this past March and I have been wondering also. The lot that I found it on had a rental house that was torn down. It wasn't a very old house, and I only found a few 40's coins. I found the item in the backyard, which DOES butt up against a very old lot. The house that was on the adjacent lot, was built no later than the 20s' and I found some turn of the century Barber coins and the usual 40s stuff.

My guess is that most of the older items (I also found a 20's token within 25' of this item) that I found on the property lines were part of the older house.


My mystery items looks like it has a silver plating on it.

Wow! Thanks very much for your post Pointman!
These items definitely look very similar don't they ... I'm kinda thinking VPNavy might be onto something with his "rifle band and loop / strap suggestion"?
My piece has no sign of ever having been plated, although I have found reins guides that have been plated.
Thanks very much for the pics,
Dave

Great finds! Almost looks like a rifle band and loop for strap?

Thanks very much for your post and for your suggestion that it might be a rifle band and loop for strap ... I think you may be onto something!
Best of luck to you,
Dave

Cool old relics Dave !
Glen

Thanks Glen!
Not as cool as a gold ring, but interesting just the same!
Dave

 

[Pointman]

Great finds! Almost looks like a rifle band and loop for strap?

I thought that it might be a rifle band and sling loop first thing, but it is strange that the two loops would not be turned in the same direction. The sling would have a twist if it were if this item was used as such. I am thinking more of a reins guide of some sort.

 

[CRUSADER]

Its a brass horse harness tack/piece. Gag loop (I think the name is).

Some sell them as sword belt hangers

 

[huntsman53]

Its a brass horse harness tack/piece. Gag loop (I think the name is).

Some sell them as sword belt hangers

Way to go Crusader! You hit it on the nail's head! I was thinking that the oval ends of the pieces were made to fit over a piece of shaped wood as in a Single Tree or Horse Hane and definitely not a wood rifle or shotgun stock. However, after seeing the pics of the Gag Loops, I knew that you had identified the pieces. You can even tell on Pointman's piece, that the piece off of the loop was made for a leather strap to feed through.

https://www.google.com/search?q=hor...Ag&biw=1350&bih=512#q=horse+gag+loop&tbm=isch


Frank

 

[Pointman]

Its a brass horse harness tack/piece. Gag loop (I think the name is).

Some sell them as sword belt hangers

Thanks. That is it. Makes me want to go back and detect some more.

 

[huntsman53]

Thanks. That is it. Makes me want to go back and detect some more.

You might want to contact Limitool (Brad) so he can find all of the horse and oxen shoes in the area and make a clearer path for you to metal detect and make some significant finds.


Frank