No Idea

[BioProfessor]

I've been working my way through a series of small pastures. Coins, buckles, buttons, etc. are all from the late 17th to the 18th century. I found this and have absolutely no idea what it is. It has a small place where a chain or something was attached but that has broken off. The head looks intact and not broken. It is solid brass. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Daryl

 

[traderoftreasures]

maybe it's a old homemade toothpick

 

[creskol]

Curious .. what is the diameter of the rod portion please??

 

[BioProfessor]

5mm. Oval not round.

Daryl

 

[Jeffro]

Brass should be a giveaway that its a key of some sort.... perhaps for a gaslight or clock?

 

[BioProfessor]

My thought too but I can't seem to locate any information on a lock with 4 pins. It seems like a very simple lock. Just have no clue what it would turn or open.

Thanks,

Dayrl

 

[traderoftreasures]

or maybe ol' oil lamp wick advance ?

 

[BioProfessor]

Since I have no idea, a wick advance sounds as good as anything. Only thing that I don't know about wick advancers, is whether they would be worn on a chain and kept with the owner. This one was but the loop has broken.

Thanks,

Daryl

 

[ivan salis]

clock winder? just a guess --wick advance sounds good too

 

[Woodland Detectors]

That's interesting.

 

[creskol]

Being only about 3/16 of an inch thick, and having a deliberate bend or off-set, and having what appears to be a small cradle on which it would pivot on a small shaft, I am wondering if it might be a key lever for something like an old typewriter, mechanical cash register, mechanical bank teller machine, or some other key operated machine.
Just a possibility to ponder!!~!~

 

[BioProfessor]

Thanks!! Makes sense. I like pondering. Fun part of MDing.

Daryl

 

[lonesomebob]

Make a dandy back scratcher. B

 

[traderoftreasures]

it sure seams like i have seen this before maybe on a old coleman lantern ? mabye a match holder

 

[Montana Jim]

No clue BioP... Seems to be a mechanism that turns and advances something else... I've never seen a wick advance that primitive - but

Good luck...

 

[grillz]

I was a lock, safe, and vault technician for 27 years, and this appears to be a key. The four blades are not symmetrical in placement around the shaft. The hole at the end was most likely closed and used to hang the key around the neck or attach it to ones clothing. There may have been a handle of some sort affixed to it to ease turning. I believe the bent shaft was accidental, either through carelessness of the owner in everyday use, or being lost and let's say, stepped on.

The French safe maker, Fichet-Baruch, has made multi-blade keys for close to two hundred years, and this closely resembles a couple I've seen at trade shows.

 

[allen]

old nail ?

 

[IronSpike]

Similar to these pieces?

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,267408.0.html

 

[johnnyi]

Along Ironspikes lines that this may be used within something like an armature rather than be a part, I wonder if it could have been a base on which wool or cotton, or rag was wrapped to make a swab of somekind? Something maybe a lady would carry? (they sure carry a lot of stuff today that's hard to indentify)

 

[traderoftreasures]

Along Ironspikes lines that this may be used within something like an armature rather than be a part, I wonder if it could have been a base on which wool or cotton, or rag was wrapped to make a swab of somekind? Something maybe a lady would carry? (they sure carry a lot of stuff today that's hard to indentify)

or maybe like on a spinnig wheel ?