Not a NAZI item after all !!

GoingDown · Apr 22, 2008

Turns out before the Nazi's began to use (and destroy forever) this swastika symbol ... it was used by many cultures (and Indian tribes) as a good luck symbol. Found this in the front lawn of a 1700's colonial home.

Enjoy!

GD

desertfox · Apr 22, 2008

Would be cool to find out what it was used for!
Happy Hunting

Desertfox

Fisher · Apr 23, 2008

Man...Hitler ruined a lot of stuff. You'll never see that symbol used in a positive way again and you'll never see anybody sporting a mustache like his. ::)

pennyfarmer · Apr 23, 2008

It almost looks to be a bell of some sort. Possibly a bike bell?

I found a very cool silver ring once that had other good luck signs along with the swastika. Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

DJ_Quinn · Apr 23, 2008

rtde3 said:
Very Cool! The Boy Scouts used it for a while before hitler also!

I never knew that, interesting. Of course, the Nazi's had there own version of the Boyscouts, only with a fascist attitude, the Hitler Youth.

allen_idaho · Apr 23, 2008

That looks a lot like a bell cover.

The symbol, aside from obvious third reich usage, also has origins in Chinese Buddhism. Just another possible origin.

Gen. Breckinridge · Apr 23, 2008

Way before Hitler's time it was a good luck symbol. I once had a salt crock with them all around the top and bottom. The salt crock was made in the 1800s so Hitler didn't create it, just vilified it.

FL Junkman · Apr 23, 2008

The swastika symbol was used long before Hitler adopted it and turned it into the "hate" symbol it is today. In it's earlier use the swastika represented Good Luck. The symbol itself is in the shape of four "L" 's which signify Light, Life, Love and Luck.

I did a little research on this a while back after finding the symbol on a piece dug at a 1920's homestead. Hope this sheds a little more light on this topic.

HH

lockman209 · Apr 24, 2008

interesting finds for sure

LadyDigger · Apr 24, 2008

Interesting about this symbol....it appears it was used long before anyone may think.

When stationed in Italy, we (my dau and I) visited HERCULUM....a city, like Pompeii, that was covered with ash from Mt. Vesuvius. When walking through one of the bath houses, I noticed the tile on the floor and saw that same symbol. I took a pic of it, as I thought it odd. If I can find the pic, I'll post it....so this symbol is older than we really think it is!! Interesting, huh?

beechwood · Apr 22, 2012

Hi all from a new poster.

Yup, it's a bicycle bell. I have one intact and in good condition. Sounds real pretty. I assume that it IS a Nazi-era bike bell, The photo is of the top or bottom half of the clam-like mechanism. No it's not antebellum, regardless of where it was found.

Best, Robert

Chuck In Oregon · Apr 22, 2012

Not a Nazi symbol? I'm not so sure. There's some truth to almost all of the above posts regarding this symbolism. However, swastika-marked items found in America, if not WW II bring-backs, are more than likely associated with the German American Bund. They were our (America's) home-grown anti-Semitic Hitlerites and they definitely thought of themselves as Nazis. There were a lot of them (and many more closet sympathizers) before WW II and they had plenty of propaganda items and paraphernalia. I suspect that is what you've found. It's an interesting, if ultimately sad, piece of American history and a nice piece to add to your collection. Good find.

Chuck

toddsumm1 · Apr 23, 2012

Thats pretty wild! I myself have just found a salt token that has the same symbol on it. I thought it was a Nazi item at first until I did some research on it and found out it was one of those symbols that had a better meaning long long ago. Great find!