Breezie... I'm kinda new to this metal detecting 4 months in I'm doing really good and some stuff I research I find out what it is but how do you guys& gals find out all this or even know how to look it up if it don't have a name ? :-) and what is lead trench art .. I wish I would of started detecting when I was a kid you learn so much just by doing it from learn about history when your looking for places to go and learn about the things you find and where they come from !!! :-) sorry for rambling I just get excited :-)
Sent from my iPhone from redelf12
Well, I can't speak for everyone else, but I've seen a lot of 'old' stuff during the 42 years I've been in the business of buying/selling/trading/mule skinning antiques and collectibles. Also, my g-grandfather was in the NC 7th Infantry during the Civil War, so I've done quite a bit of research on him and the CW. I've been metal detecting for over 30 years, so I've dug a few odds and ends.
BUT, I see items on here everyday that I've never seen in my life! It's amazing what people pull out of the ground.
As far as identifying an item that has no name, I generally go to GOOGLE, and type in what it looks like and what it's made out of. For example, a friend of mine sent a photo tonight of an unknown item to see if I knew what it was. I didn't; so I GOOGLED:
Iron strap with stars, and went to the IMAGE section to see if I saw anything that looked like it. Here's a pic:
My best guess was some type of iron strap that would have attached to a wooden object (barn door, barrel, wagon, etc.) and the stars were more or less decorative 'washers' to help prevent the stud from going through the strap. I don't know what it is, but generally when posted on the forum, someone will know.
As far as your item is concerned, it looks to be made of LEAD. Lead will produce a whitish color patina when aged in the ground. Look at some photos of Civil War bullets and you will see how white looking most of them are. Those that are not white have been exposed to different elements; ie. salt water, etc.
Soldiers in the Civil War had more free time than fighting time, so they occupied and entertained themselves the best way they could; playing checkers, chess, marbles, cards, dominoes, and other games. Another past time was carving lead. Any item that was made by soldiers in the field is considered as 'trench art.' Your item looks like a lead bar that was carved into a Tee-Pee. Lead bars were melted, poured into a mold to cast bullets, so lead was ready available for the soldiers.
Hopefully someone else will chime-in on your find. And like you said, sorry for rambling, but I get excited too!
Welcome to the forum,
Breezie
I promise! 
