Any ideas? Copper, round, hollow, civil war era possibly, etched design

[sarawisman]

Found in a civil war relic area. Round (before it was squished a bit) and hollow with a hole on one end. It's copper and has an etched design. Slightly smaller than a golf ball. Any ideas?

Thanks for looking!

 

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[Breezie]

Judging by the size of the hole on the bottom and the design, I think it's a finial end cap for a curtain/drapery rod. Welcome to the forum!
Breezie

 

[sarawisman]

Judging by the size of the hole on the bottom and the design, I think it's a finial end cap for a curtain/drapery rod. Welcome to the forum!
Breezie

I guess that's a possibility. Again, it was found near many civil war relics in a large field, including right next to 2 rivets. I can't find anything like it on-line. Thanks for your help!

 

[BosnMate]

How about the top of a cane?

 

[Breezie]

I guess that's a possibility. Again, it was found near many civil war relics in a large field, including right next to 2 rivets. I can't find anything like it on-line. Thanks for your help!

Yeah, I know it's not too exciting to find a drapery finial, but my 2nd thought (which is somewhat more appealing) is a copper ball from a weather vane. If you want to date it to the area and the other items found, you've got to ask yourself what items were made during that period of time that were copper, and small, round, embossed with a decor, and open at one end? The top to a can is a good answer too as BosnMate said. Breezie

 

[BosnMate]

Just had a thought, how about the top of the hames on a horse collar?

 

[Breezie]

Just had a thought, how about the top of the hames on a horse collar?

BosnMate, Let's stick with your first answer I think it's either a walking stick topper or a weather vane ball because both of those could have been engraved and made from copper. I don't think they made hame balls from copper, nor engraved them. Actually I've seen more walking stick balls engraved than weather vane balls, so I feel you're pretty spot-on this one.

Since the OP is from Virginia, there were many, many beautiful Southern Plantations located there as it was here in NC. The Civil War was during the middle of the Victorian era and draperies were beautifully made from heavy brocade, velvet, and damask, which required heavy rods to hold them. The thought of it being a drapery finial is not a 'wimpy' find. Many of theses plantations were burned to the ground via Sherman's march, leaving the 'metals' for us to dig.

Breezie

 

[sarawisman]

I agree, it's definitely not a wimpy find and I'm so sorry if it came across that way! It's just the location of the find that's more puzzling. Smack dab in the middle of a 100 acre field that's not near a home site. I'm fairly new at this so I'm sure more unusual finds are to come because we haven't even begun to scratch the surface of this location. I really do appreciate your suggestion of the finial! Thank you!

 

[Breezie]

I agree, it's definitely not a wimpy find and I'm so sorry if it came across that way! It's just the location of the find that's more puzzling. Smack dab in the middle of a 100 acre field that's not near a home site. I'm fairly new at this so I'm sure more unusual finds are to come because we haven't even begun to scratch the surface of this location. I really do appreciate your suggestion of the finial! Thank you!

Sarawisman, Oh, I totally understand. It didn't come across that way. One time I found a 1940's lipstick tube in the same area (less than a foot away and same depth) as a Civil War 3-ring minie bullet. Finds like that make you scratch your head and wonder how and why. A few years later, someone from TNet found a lipstick tube in a CW area, and was convinced it was some type of strange bullet. It's amazing to me how items get where they do.

Breezie