✅ SOLVED Nested Silver Tubes

[Iron Buzz]

OK, this one has me stumped. I found it at a site that held a town from the early 1850's into the mid 1870's. Very little modern stuff around, so it is likely that this is period. Not stamped, but certainly appears to be Sterling, and hand engraved. There are two nested silver tubes, both decorated, and what appears to be a sliding collar around the entire thing.

I didn't include anything for scale aside from the leather-grained plastic, but it is about 1 1/4" (3 1/2 cm) long, although the outer tube seems to be broken off (the inner tube appears to be intact, and ends just inside of the broken end of the outside tube) The outer tube is 3/16" in diameter.



Any guesses/thoughts? Questions?

 

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[bluegrid]

Antique mechanical pencil, part of it at least.


https://goo.gl/images/wK8QKk

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Just speaking up to offer confirmation... it is definitely part of the cylindrical body of a civil war era Sterling silver mechanical pencil. We dig them occasionally in civil war army campsites and entrenchments. (But of course, it is "civilian"... not a Military-issue item.)

Good ID, new-member Bluegrid. I hope you'll continue to join us in the What-Is-It? forum.

 

[Iron Buzz]

Antique mechanical pencil, part of it at least.


https://goo.gl/images/wK8QKk

This site is amazing. You guys are amazing! Thanks. That is certainly it.