Very Old Silver... no clue and need ID.

[BigWaveDave]

It’s very thin, brittle, and has what appears to be hand-etched designs.
Maybe a broken clasp at top? Reverse side maybe a clip or hinge of some sort.

I beat it up a bit...8 inches deep, on its side, beneath a fat root. Apologies to anyone I’ve offended for damaging this relic.



No doubt I gave y’all sideways pics again lol

Ok kids....what is it?

 

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[CoinFetcher]

It looks like not silver to me.

I have found some very nice etched tobacco lids before.... tin or aluminum.

Is the metal ‘heavy’ for its size?

I recognize bigwavedave as a experienced hunter, and the metallic content of your item, I am only speculating, and I trust you know better than me w the piece in hand!

 

[BigWaveDave]

Thanks CoinFetcher....
I did the silver test, Sterling no doubt.
And while it is paper-thin, it’s got some heft to it.
1835 property... it’s the real deal....
Just clueless as to what it is

 

[GioTheGreek]

That is a lovely little piece of silver. I'm quite certain that it was a brooch or a pin.

 

[gunsil]

I have never seen silver crack like that and I have made silver jewelry for over forty years. Did you use a nitric acid test?

 

[BigWaveDave]

Yes....it passed the nitric acid test with flying colors
It’s very thin.

And old.

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[PetesPockets55]

I'm thinking maybe some type of charm that would hang on a bracelet? No luck finding the missing braided part from the top?

it looks like the missing piece across the top was a thin braided(?) rope design and completed the circle. This would be easy to slip over any bracelet or necklace.

 

[Steve in PA]

It's a hammered silver...and you're the hammer

 

[BigWaveDave]

It's a hammered silver...and you're the hammer

So true!

 

[BigWaveDave]

I'm thinking maybe some type of charm that would hang on a bracelet? No luck finding the missing braided part from the top?

it looks like the missing piece across the top was a thin braided(?) rope design and completed the circle. This would be easy to slip over any bracelet or necklace.

Yes, thin, braided design.... leaning towards a pin or brooch, but still not sure.
Maybe it’ll never get solved, but glad I found it... first silver for me in months.

 

[smokeythecat]

Hold your camera horizontally to take the pic. Problem solved.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Pocket watch cover?

 

[BigWaveDave]

Pocket watch cover?

That was an early guess of mine too.... but because it’s incomplete, I can’t visualize it. But yeah Terry, it could well be.

 

[Ccarson]

I’m thinking it’s an old hair berett. The part missing on the back is the clip.

 

[Toecutter]

Looks like trade silver...

Your pics correct when you click on them...

 

[BigWaveDave]

Looks like trade silver...

I thought of that too.... but isn’t that more of a Great Lakes and Canada thing?
It does look like it though.

 

[BigWaveDave]

I’m thinking it’s an old hair berett. The part missing on the back is the clip.

Wow !... never thought of that! You very well could be right.

 

[Toecutter]

I thought of that too.... but isn’t that more of a Great Lakes and Canada thing?
It does look like it though.

Guess Im not real sure on that...Good question..

 

[Steve in PA]

I thought of that too.... but isn’t that more of a Great Lakes and Canada thing?
It does look like it though.

Some of the engraving is similar to what you see on trade silver. A lot of trade silver is found in Ohio Indian villages, and Native Americans did traverse the Braddock road on their way to conferences in Winchester and on the Braddock campaign.. But the design is not typical of the common trade silver items, at least there is nothing similar in my book "Indian Trade Relics" by Lar Hotham.