1700's Pewter Button or Something Else?

[FreeBirdTim]

Found this pewter relic today, but I'm not sure if it's a button. The shank is broken off and the back is kind of odd shaped for a button. There's a mold seam on it, so if it is a button, it's probably pre-1750. It's only 5/8" in diameter, so maybe a cuff button? Let me know what you think.

 

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[FreeBirdTim]

It's a drawer pull as Crusader said, probably from a small set of drawers that went on top off a bigger furniture piece. Found loads.

Could you post a photo of one that isn't broken?

 

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[CRUSADER]

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree with the guys across the pond. No way would anyone make a pewter drawer pull that small. It would be impossible to make threads in it and almost as impossible to make a screw that would fit it. And even if you could, it would break almost immediately.

Why would someone make a tiny drawer pull out of a soft metal such as pewter? If you really wanted a drawer pull that small, you'd make it out of brass or cast iron. Just my take on it...

Had loads of drawer pulls out of pewter, just don't keep them, I may check when at home.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Okay, here's a pewter drawer pull that I found at another site a few months back. If you were going to use pewter as a drawer pull, this would be how you would do it. It didn't hold up to repeated use, but it is a better design than trying to drill a hole in the back and attach it with a screw. That would never last 10 minutes, especially if it was a drawer pull that small.

 

[CRUSADER]

The problem is your thinking of only 1 fixing method, there are many. I don't keep these type of plain ones but have found loads. The way these fixed on top of the tobacco tins was by tapping out a kind of plug. On some tiny drawers this would have held just fine or like the ones pictures its a lid finial, most likely tobacco, but could be other boxes. Its not a big deal, its either a drawer pull or lid finial.

 

[Silver Searcher]

The item posted doesn't look like pewter to me, it's the wrong colour?

SS

 

[steelheadwill]

Found one remarkably similar to the ops in coastal nh, casting line visible and mine is very slightly teardrop shaped.
filed with plain pewter buttons simply bc of outward appearances. Tin box lid/cover pull seems to fit the bill.

 

[coinman123]

Are you sure it is pewter? Most pewter buttons or relics are much more flaky, except for a pewter pitcher from 1868 that was still shiny. Maybe pewter where you are just holds up nicer in the ground. It could be a knob for a small trinket box, I have a few small wooden display cases with tiny knobs. Part of the knobs looks to be broken off too, i it even is a knob. Cool find, it looks like it could be quite old.