Musket or Gun Piece? Key. 1683 Mass Property

[btjbtj]

Good evening, friends. John dug for an hour after work today and found this really neat looking brass piece, which we think might be a gun part. What do you all think? Then again, it could be something completely different like a window lock or other mundane thing.There's also a key which he found in the same hole as the alleged gun piece. The key has writing on it: W Bohannon, Brooklyn, NY. I haven't had a chance to Google that yet, but I will in a few minutes. Thanks for looking, as always. -Lisa & John

 

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[Fullstock]

Not sure what it is, but i don't believe it's a gun part. Sorry.

 

[smokeythecat]

Looks 19th century, it's too finely made for something earlier.

 

[btjbtj]

Not sure what it is, but i don't believe it's a gun part. Sorry.

No problem! It is neat looking, but who knows. Maybe I should have posted it in the "What Is It" forum. Thanks for looking. -L&J

 

[btjbtj]

Looks 19th century, it's too finely made for something earlier.

A smart assessment, Smokey. We have a 19th century Thingamajig! ;-) Thanks for your thoughts. -L&J

 

[JccEldreth]

The key is to a pad lock. Not to sure on the other, maybe lock related. I have found three w.w.& co. Brooklen NY Pad locks, but no keys, we should get together! Lol.

 

[btjbtj]

The key is to a pad lock. Not to sure on the other, maybe lock related. I have found three w.w.& co. Brooklen NY Pad locks, but no keys, we should get together! Lol.

Jcc-- funny! Maybe if we keep digging in the same hole, we'll find the safe that the key and the mystery piece go to. Ha ha. Thanks for looking. -L&J

 

[KENTUCKYWONDER]

Very nice digs, congratulations! That one brass piece reminds me of a rivet tool for leather. But that is just a guess.

 

[btjbtj]

Very nice digs, congratulations! That one brass piece reminds me of a rivet tool for leather. But that is just a guess.

That could be it! There once was a 50-stall barn on the property and the home served as a stagecoach tavern, so maybe it was a tool used for making or repairing saddles, etc. Thanks for chiming in! -L&J

 

[Gridwalker306]

That looks like a railroad switch key. Not sure what the other thing is, nice digs

 

[OutdoorAdv]

That item was very unique. It was obviously a small punch for something. After googling around for a while, a search term of "antique thumb punch" finally landed me an image and a proper search term.

It's a... Train Conductor Finger Punch





https://picclick.com/Antique-Vintage-Train-Railroad-Ticket-Punch-1930s-182470823799.html

Pretty cool and unique item. Glad to see you guys digging and posting again. Looking forward to the next one.

 

[Gridwalker306]

That item was very unique. It was obviously a small punch for something. After googling around for a while, a search term of "antique thumb punch" finally landed me an image and a proper search term.

It's a... Train Conductor Finger Punch

View attachment 1442196

View attachment 1442197

https://picclick.com/Antique-Vintage-Train-Railroad-Ticket-Punch-1930s-182470823799.html

Pretty cool and unique item. Glad to see you guys digging and posting again. Looking forward to the next one.

Nice ID, you nailed it.

 

[1637]

what a cool find and quit id, brad

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on the old punch and key interesting finds for sure

 

[btjbtj]

That item was very unique. It was obviously a small punch for something. After googling around for a while, a search term of "antique thumb punch" finally landed me an image and a proper search term.

It's a... Train Conductor Finger Punch

View attachment 1442196

View attachment 1442197

https://picclick.com/Antique-Vintage-Train-Railroad-Ticket-Punch-1930s-182470823799.html

Pretty cool and unique item. Glad to see you guys digging and posting again. Looking forward to the next one.

Brad--you're amazing! Never in a million years would we have guessed that one! So we know that the property served as a stagecoach tavern, but no idea how a train ticket punch would show up. Bizzarre and cool. Thanks for your research Brad. Hope you had a good winter, and we look forward to another great season of detecting! -L&J

 

[against the wind]

Wow,, what great research,, who would have thought?
Congrats on some really cool finds. Did a railroad run through your property?

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Brad--you're amazing! Never in a million years would we have guessed that one! So we know that the property served as a stagecoach tavern, but no idea how a train ticket punch would show up. Bizzarre and cool. Thanks for your research Brad. Hope you had a good winter, and we look forward to another great season of detecting! -L&J

Thank you Lisa I should have added in that comment that the punch was used by a train conductor to punch a customers ticket on the train. It was late, and I hit "submit" and went to bed. ha

 

[btjbtj]

Thank you Lisa I should have added in that comment that the punch was used by a train conductor to punch a customers ticket on the train. It was late, and I hit "submit" and went to bed. ha

No problem, Brad-- we kind of assumed that anyway. Mystery solved! Thanks again, -L&J

 

[btjbtj]

Wow,, what great research,, who would have thought?
Congrats on some really cool finds. Did a railroad run through your property?

Hi there, apparently there is an old railroad track about half a mile from the property, but nothing close by. It's really just a mystery. We know the property was a stagecoach Tavern, but I have no idea when they started making these hole punches for trains. Going to do a bit of research today. Thanks for looking! -L&J

 

[moosescout]

Maybe it was used to punch Stagecoach tickets. Pretty cool either way.