✅ SOLVED SOLVED - Tent stake?

[ModernMiner]

I dug this at an 1800’s house today.
It’s hefty brass, not a cheap modern piece. It’s 4” long.
Is it a tent stake?
If so, any idea how old and why so short?
Thanks for any input. 👍
-MM-

 

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[Deftone]

Looks like a tent rope tensioner.

 

[Tony in SC]

That's what it is, tensioner for a tent tie down. I use some like that on my canopies.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Deftone and Tony In SC are correct... your find is a tent-rope tensioner/adjuster. At the time it was manufactured, the US Army called it a "tent-slip" and adopted it for service in 1889. These are NOT civil war era, and thus of course are NOT Confederate -- contrary to what some Ebay sellers want you to believe.

Your find was invented and US-patented in by Mr. H.B. Thompson in 1880. Ones manufactured during the first 17 years of the Patent's life were marked with the patent date. Sometimes the Patent can be renewed for few more years... as you see in the photo below which is marked with two dates (the Original-issue date and the Renewal date). After the Patent expired, the item is no longer marked. See the images below.

Some diggers are going to say, "I dug one in a Confederate campsite so I know it's from the civil war and it's Confederate." But exhaustive research examining civil war photos which show tent-ropes do NOT show any of these metal rope-adjusters. Check the tent-ropes adjusters (which are larger and made of wood, not metal) in the Lincoln photo below.

 

[ModernMiner]

Looks like a tent rope tensioner.

Thank you. 👍

 

[ModernMiner]

That's what it is, tensioner for a tent tie down. I use some like that on my canopies.

Thank you. 👍

 

[ModernMiner]

Deftone and Tony In SC are correct... your find is a tent-rope tensioner/adjuster. At the time it was manufactured, the US Army called it a "tent-slip" and adopted it for service in 1889. These are NOT civil war era, and thus of course are NOT Confederate -- contrary to what some Ebay sellers want you to believe.

Your find was invented and US-patented in by Mr. H.B. Thompson in 1880. Ones manufactured during the first 17 years of the Patent's life were marked with the patent date. Sometimes the Patent can be renewed for few more years... as you see in the photo below which is marked with two dates (the Original-issue date and the Renewal date). After the Patent expired, the item is no longer marked. See the images below.

Some diggers are going to say, "I dug one in a Confederate campsite so I know it's from the civil war and it's Confederate." But exhaustive research examining civil war photos which show tent-ropes do NOT show any of these metal rope-adjusters. Check the tent-ropes adjusters (which are larger and made of wood, not metal) in the Lincoln photo below.

Thanks so much Cannonballguy. You always teach me something. That’s why I like Tnet. 👍
The CW tent stakes/tensioners controversy sounds like the heel plate discussion.
I didn’t think it was CW as I saw some CW era stakes in Crouch’s relic book. Wooden ones as you mentioned.
Thanks so much.
-MM-

 

[Robot]

Hi ModernMiner
I get a feeling that maybe it is a CW Bayonet Socket?

 

[ModernMiner]

Hi ModernMiner
I get a feeling that maybe it is a CW Bayonet Socket?

I wish it was, but I think it’s been ID’d above already.
Thanks for the input though. 👍

 

[Robot]

Yep!...Tent fastener!
Past Treasure Net find!

CW Tent Rope Fastener

Thanks to my bud Davers for id'ing this piece from his crappy phone the other day while we were both in the field!!! I hope I didn't cut in to your digging time too much D. I can imagine if I had posted this in 'What is it', I would probably have received a half dozen 'pot handle' responses...

www.treasurenet.com

 

[Gare]

Great Job guys