Recent Relic Recoveries - need some help on one

[Steve in PA]

Here are a few relics I have found recently on a couple of late 18[SUP]th[/SUP] / early 19[SUP]th[/SUP] century sites in Southwestern PA. I’m still trying to squeeze some relics out of these places by hunting the fringes and digging the iffy signals.



This large silver plated item is 1.73” (44mm) diameter but was laying on edge which explains why I didn’t find it before. It has two solder marks on the back and I believe it is a bridal rosette.




This button was found near the rosette and would have been silver plated at one time. It has a floral design on it. These were popular in the 1780s and 90s.



I have here what I suspect is a piece of trigger guard from a large gun. It is larger than ones I have found from Brown Bess muskets, but it does not have any mounting holes or tabs, at least on the part I found. It does have a makers mark on the side that would have been facing toward the trigger, and an oval design on the part that would be facing outward. The makers mark appears to be “LD”. The only other possibility for this item that I can think of is some kind of handle. Any thoughts are welcome.
I also found a side plate about 10 feet from where I found the trigger guard. However it appears to be from a smaller gun like a squirrel rifle.

 

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[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

I guess hard to say, with a bit missing could explain the no mounting holes, Maybe has been bent intentionally to be a pot lifter ? Some things we'll never know for sure.

Loving this Dec. weather.

 

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[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Meant to say re-purposed.

 

[OWK]

I believe what you have are early flintlock pistol parts (a side plate and a grip).

The horn curvature of the piece we'll call the grip, is actually the hand grip, and would have overlaid the wood of the body of the pistol. (possibly retained by a butt plate)

The hard square bend may not be the original configuration... or it may be.

Also, the makers mark may be "ILD" instead of LD. (18th century marks almost always used a "barred" I... which is the equivalent of a "J")

I think I see a leading barred "I" in your mark...


**The closer I look at what I will call the pistol grip, the more I think it may be in the original configuration, and the square bend may be part of the pistol's works, that perhaps extend up into the body of the pistol (possibly acting as a spring retainer).

I'm going to need to research this further... very interesting pieces.

 

[Steve in PA]

I believe what you have are early flintlock pistol parts (a side plate and a grip).

The horn curvature of the piece we'll call the grip, is actually the hand grip, and would have overlaid the wood of the body of the pistol. (possibly retained by a butt plate)

The hard square bend may not be the original configuration... or it may be.

Also, the makers mark may be "ILD" instead of LD. (18th century marks almost always used a "barred" I... which is the equivalent of a "J")

I think I see a leading barred "I" in your mark...


**The closer I look at what I will call the pistol grip, the more I think it may be in the original configuration, and the square bend may be part of the pistol's works, that perhaps extend up into the body of the pistol (possibly acting as a spring retainer).

I'm going to need to research this further... very interesting pieces.

Thank you OWK. I agree that there may be a leading I before the LD. And the squared off bend on the narrow end does look to be the original configuration when you have the piece in hand. That is one of the reasons why it was troubling to me as a trigger guard.

 

[johnnyblaze]

Steverino my man good to see you get out man

That relic was used by the Colonials with help in child birth....

~Blaze~

 

[Steve in PA]

Steverino my man good to see you get out man

That relic was used by the Colonials with help in child birth....

~Blaze~

No wonder the child mortality rate was so high back then.

Actually I may have stumped the field with this one!

 

[johnnyblaze]

But seriously that indention was for your thumb and your index finger would wrap around the bottom.
And the hook end would grab the hot handle on a cast iron pot for moving etc..
It's a pot hook.

~Blaze~

 

[VOL1266-X]

Some really nice finds Steve. I was thinking rosette before I read the write up. The gun parts are cool too. Glad you are are enjoying the good weasther my friend. WTG, Q.

 

[Steve in PA]

But seriously that indention was for your thumb and your index finger would wrap around the bottom.
And the hook end would grab the hot handle on a cast iron pot for moving etc..
It's a pot hook.

~Blaze~

Not so fast Johnny Fuego.....it is broken off on the right edge in this pic. There was more to it on the right side. Plus, pot hooks were iron, this is brass.

 

[johnnyblaze]

Not so fast Johnny Fuego.....it is broken off on the right edge in this pic. There was more to it on the right side. Plus, pot hooks were iron, this is brass.

Well well well maybe a candle holder i must say Steve-O it looks perfectly designed for a thumb and index finger..

Ok ok it's a candle holder!