✅ SOLVED something different

[ironhorse]

not too sure of this one
found at a colonial site(early 1800s) brass, about 2 inches long

I think maybe oil lamp piece?

 

[yaxthri]

The small "flap" on the backside looks like it alternately closes one or the other of two small holes. That's curious...

 

[yakker]

part of a stove/burner handle w/ gas control/feed regulator? Or some other regulated gas feed contraption...? Yakker

 

[ironhorse]

part of a stove/burner handle w/ gas control/feed regulator? Or some other regulated gas feed contraption...? Yakker

Not sure about gas burners in colonial times, but I do appreciate you taking a look and taking a stab at it

 

[ironhorse]

Update
I figured it out
It's part of an octant

 

[ironhorse]

 

[Ant]

Well I'll be aint that something, you can make it solved. How did you find that out?

 

[BosnMate]

Update
I figured it out
It's part of an octant

You are good sir, my hat is off to you. Not in a million years would I have figured that out.

 

[ARC]

Octant peep sight.

 

[ironhorse]

Well I'll be aint that something, you can make it solved. How did you find that out?

I was in the living room this afternoon and the tv was on some show, and someone mentioned a sextant, so a mental picture appeared in my brain. I knew there were lots of brass moving parts on them that were small and intricate, so my mind went to my unidentified found object. Somehow I thought there was a connection; but while trying to sync up a picture I got diverted to octants...the rest fell into place

 

[cw0909]

ironhorse great ID, i was looking you beat me to it, next step look for buried treasure LOL
that item is part of a navigation instrument used on a ship, and wasnt in use since early 1800s,
really cool find

its called a double-holed sighting pinnula
Octant (instrument) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Demise of the octant

Octant (instrument) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[ironhorse]

ironhorse great ID, i was looking you beat me to it, next step look for buried treasure LOL
that item is part of a navigation instrument used on a ship, and wasnt in use since early 1800s,
really cool find

its called a double-holed sighting pinnula
Octant (instrument) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Demise of the octant

Octant (instrument) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Totally fits with the timeframe of the site and I hope there's a few more pieces to find!
The link you used was interesting , the developer of the sextant (Campbell) could have been a long ago relative since we share the name!