Lead button?

[relic lover]

Found at an early american site It is definatly lead, super soft. Did anyone ever find or hear of a lead button or is it something else?

 

[maceman66]

I would say its a dress weight, they used them to keep the ladies dresses down from the wind, they were sown into the hem of the dress.

 

[traderoftreasures]

i'd say maceman66 is on to something

 

[relic lover]

I would say its a dress weight, they used them to keep the ladies dresses down from the wind, they were sown into the hem of the dress.

I haddent thought of that I have dug a regular mass produced cast dress weight but if you make your own dress you make your own weights too I guess.

 

[Buck Bagaw]

Looks like a lead button hammered from a musket ball. I've seen a couple of these on antique hunting pouches.

 

[Monty]

I found one like this several weeks ago at an old homesite. I figured it was one of those lead seals, but it had two holes and it was kinda' big for a seal. So, I think you solved my mystery too! Monty

 

[CRUSADER]

Definately a Hem or Curtain weight.

 

[Buck Bagaw]

The hem weights I have seen were cast and of even shape and thickness, this item is hammered as if hastily made . Definate? I wouldn't be so sure. I'm not definate, but I'm sticking to the button theory.

 

[coloradocav]

could also be a "buzzer" child's toy where you put strings through the holes and twist untill it is tight and then it makes a buzzing sound as the string unwinds. I found some in South Carolina colonial pits along with clay marbles, some of them had cuts around the whole thing like a circular saw blade. I believe these were hammered musket balls.

 

[maceman66]

I have dug a number of them and have seen them perfectly round and also ones with the edges pretty rough, i think alot of it has to do with the quality and impurities in the lead and the type of soil they come out of, just my thoughts,lol