Todays Re-Find Identified- It is a Terret!

[West Jersey Detecting]

I originally found this in May, but it slipped out of my pouch deep in the woods and was lost once again. I went back to look for it at the time and found a 1699 Wm III halfpenny, so it was definitely a good trade off. Well, today I finally found it again, after numerous trips back to the woods!!!

I thought it was an oar lock, but now I wonder. I have not seen one like this before. I have had some theories that the old path it was found near was used to transport escaped slaves from the river to a nearby village.
The coins I have found at the site have all been 1839 or older. Are there any oar lock experts out there?

 

[sqwaby]

Re: Todays Re-Find

I'm not an expert on oar locks, but I been in the marine business for 26 years and have built wooden rowing skiffs. I don't think the item is a oar lock, the opening for the oar appears to small, and would be round in shape, the bottom would usually be a straight pin type, not flared towards the bottom. The 2 horns sticking out from the base would serve no purpose that I know of, plus I would think they would hinder the rotation of it. It would be very ornate for a oar lock, most where just a simple but stout design. Just my 2 cents.

 

[dfx willy]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

defintly not a oar lock. but its cool thou. willy.

 

[Ohio Jerry]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

Nice find Neil,i'm no oar expert but as small as it looks in your hand i would say no to the oarlock idea.Is the small rounded part threaded?
Jerry

 

[CAgem]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

My guess is a belt buckle without the tongue. Or maybe not.

 

[haboo]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

looks like a door knocker....to me.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

looks like a door knocker....to me.

It was definitely mounted as you can see from the bottom view. It also has a bit of wear on the inner part of the ring, as if a leather strap (?) was fed through.

Oh, BTW, I also found a few more flat & ball buttons, bringing my total found at the site to 53, an old pocket watch, a razor, a bird band (Unidentified as of this moment), the pocket knife and a thimble with the initials G.S. on it.

 

[DD-777]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

Neil - definitely too small for an oarlock , BUT, what about a reign guide for a carriage/horse tack. Seen something similar here recently - yours looks a bit fancier but still has the general shape/design characteristics of the other. Great finds regardless...

 

[Curious The George]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

With the hole in the bottom I would guess it is one of those screw on thingies that hold a lamp shade on the top of the lamp harp.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

Neil - definitely too small for an oarlock , BUT, what about a reign guide for a carriage/horse tack. Seen something similar here recently - yours looks a bit fancier but still has the general shape/design characteristics of the other. Great finds regardless...

That is what I was thinking along the lines of. It looks like it might have been some tyoe of guide. It is possible that one strap went through the ring, while another may have gone through the slots on the top.

I doubt it is a part of a lamp; the location has not produced anything from a home. All of the finds from the site have been representative of either field workers, hunters or transients.

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

Looks like a fancy rein guide for a carriage. I have a few here in Germany. HH, Mike

 

[ivan salis]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

the oar locks I've seen are open at the top to put the oars in amd sort of u ish top and y ish post type base shape-- 27 years a merchant seaman ---

I'd think horse rein guide like said earlier, or horse tack item of some sort.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Re: Todays Re-Find- What is it?

Well, apparently I found an old terret. A terret is one of the rings on the top of the saddle of a harness, through which the reins pass. Although I cannot ID it for sure, I am fairly certain this one is circa 1800.

Thanks for all of your help!

Here are some photos of other eighteenth nineteenth century that I have seen online:

 

[BuckleBoy]

Yes. Otherwise known on Tnet as a "reign guide." Never knew the other name for it.


Nice work.



-Buckles

 

[ivan salis]

terret humm learned a new term today -- rein guide was what I called em.

 

[CRUSADER]

terret humm learned a new term today -- rein guide was what I called em.

terret is a term used for all the guides going back to the Iron Age.

It looks like a heavy horse type, mid-late 1800s