Union crest on oil lamp wick guide?

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

A hunting buddy found this when we were hunting around a 1860’s cellar hole in W PA. It is about an inch wide x 1.5 inches tall and about an 1/8” thick, but hollow. I find oil lamp parts every hunt and I thought for sure it was a wick guide, but he sent me the cleaned up pic with the design? Could it be from something else? Other side is smooth brass. Is there such a thing as a CW Union issued oil lamp burner? Probably not?

He just sent a couple more pics.

 

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[Tony in SC]

I don't think oil lamp related but maybe small buckle or strap connector?

 

[Mud Hut]

Too bad the photo enlarge feature won't work.

 

[islamoradamark]

Really cool looking

 

[Mud Hut]

I see the crest, but also see the Confederate Southern Cross. Must be a post war commemorative medal or souvenir of some sort.

 

[invent4hir]

Please post a picture of each end.

 

[DCMatt]

I see the crest, but also see the Confederate Southern Cross. Must be a post war commemorative medal or souvenir of some sort.

I had the same thought. There was a huge swell of patriotism in the USA in the 1880's which included nostalgia for the Civil War and it's aging veterans. Plenty of civilian patriotic items were made. I looked at this one for a while and could really come up with much.

One possibility is the throat of a CW saber letter opener scabbard:

But I couldn't find any with any sort of embossing or decoration. So I really don't know what it is...

I do know that while most CW reunions early on were GAR or UCV exclusive events, towards the turn of the 20th C they began to combine as evidenced by all the photos of old men from both sides together at Gettysburg in 1913.

I would date this relic to that era - turn of the 20th C give or take a decade.

 

[DCMatt]

Holy smokes that's a huge pic I posted! And doubled!?!?! I posted the same way I've been posting pics for years on this forum. Something is funky with photo posting since the recent upgrade...

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Thx Mud Hut and Matt. You guys provided some solid theories.

 

[DCMatt]

Is it two pieces? Maybe part of a suspender clip as Tony implied...

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Is it two pieces? Maybe part of a suspender clip as Tony implied...

It’s hollow and all one piece, nothing hinged. That’s why I thought it was a wick for one of those really small oil lamp burners we find. But I could also see it as a strap end decorative crimp with the brass loop mostly missing.

 

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It’s definitely a suspender buckle..!!!

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

It?s definitely a suspender buckle..!!!

Thx! Do you know if the one you found is military? Which era?