✅ SOLVED Any Ideas what this Brass item is??

[BuckleBoy]

Hello All,

I found two of these items--flat brass items with two holes for rivets/nails in them. They looked at the time like they would have some sort of stamping on them, but both are plain... The older one has some design and it is cast. It also has a part of an old nail still in one hole of it...








I found this one online that was stamped "CS" from a CW camp--the finder at the site says that it's a "watch fob" but it obviously isn't...and it's the same dimensions as the plain oval one I found (pictured above). I'm not suggesting that these are war related, but I'm just wondering what the heck they are...



http://www.midtenrelics.com/buttons.htm (See #2, second photo...)


Regards,


Buckleboy

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[RELICDUDE07]

I could say like buckleboy tells me,why post it in the what is it forum if you already know what it is?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[Woodland Detectors]

Agreed

 

[BuckleBoy]

I could say like buckleboy tells me,why post it in the what is it forum if you already know what it is?

Well, that was a below the belt punch! 


What I DO see on that brass tag you posted is writing and a number.  What I don't see on ANY of these whatzits except for 1 single example is writing or a number. 


How much more clear can I be that I do not think they are brass "labels" or "tags" to identify something, or purchased by a company, or "ID tags"?





Find and post me some two-holed tags of comparable age with writing or a number on them, and then I'll buy it for a buck. 




Best Wishes,



BB

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Let me know if you need some more of them....

 

[BuckleBoy]

Thanks a bunch, buddy.  I don't need to see any more of them, because they all have writing on them.  And they're all from the mid 20th c.  I'm sorry, but this is not just one isolated find that could've been dropped by a farmer or the family dog from his collar.  The general consensus from those who have found these items is that the sites these are found at are late 1700s to early 1800s.


I'm sorry, but I don't feel that the dog and tax tags you posted relate to a Plain whatzit with No writing, found at colonial and federal sites.




Do you have any examples from the 1800s to show?  Even just one or two from the 1850s or 60s would be enough to convince me that they were being used early enough to make the grade.  Then we can account for all these PLAIN brass two-holed thingys as being ones that just escaped the machine that put those silly dates and letters on them like the ones you posted, and I will call this one Solved.





-Buck

 

[RELICDUDE07]

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

You have found pictures on the net relicdude, and we always knew that these dog/nametags existed in this oval shape, but how do you explain that every actual find by members is blank? ...Coincidence?

Could it be possible the these are ALL just unmarked nametags like Relicdude suggests?

 

[RELICDUDE07]

All were blank before someone made things on them.Thats the way they sell them.People still buy the blanks today!!!!!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I think they (relicdudes pics) are machine stamped. I dont see any hand punched. Maybe the numbers.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

well goodluck to ya

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Dont take it the wrong way. Those are great pics you posted. Im just not sure its solved. I question why would someone fasten a blank name tag?

 

[RELICDUDE07]

What kind of pictures would you like?Everything buckleboy ask for he got.....Maybe we can work on your post now.I thought the post was what are they ,not how many ways could they use them

 

[BomberJohn]

Interesting possibilities. Mine (post #104) is hand made. The rope detailed edge is hand stamped; the punch marks are imperfectly spaced. The outside edges have a 45 degree champfer. The two holes are counter sunk on the back side.
Also, mine is broke off of whatever it was attachd to and had nothing etched on it (as far as I can tell). So, it was intended to be used "blank". I personally don't think mine is a machine stamped out piece. Until I see something more in line with similar details, I won't be satisfied.

Now it's time to go out hunting again. I love this this hobby.
HH
John

 

[IronSpike]

I think these brass items needs to be categorized. Maybe start a new thread for each category? How many do we got now?

 

[CRUSADER]

Dont take it the wrong way. Those are great pics you posted. Im just not sure its solved. I question why would someone fasten a blank name tag?

I think this was a Red Herring, if I remember correctly(?) these were found close together & not attached. see example of the drawer handles: (without whatzit), described as

copper-alloy 19th century U shaped drawer handle (came in many different platterns & plain). I have found many of these but never kept them.

I agree with buckles, the whatzit is not just about what is it, its the function as well. I can tell you what it is, its a blank copper oval shaped piece of brass.

I do agree there must be quite a few functions, one of which I still think is heavy horse related, furniture related, some gun related, etc..

 

[RELICDUDE07]

The ones alot of you have found are from the late 1700s ,they were sold from the men at trade post that started business in this country....But still are the same thing --old brass tags you put your personal touch /logos on them... Doesnt have to be names could just be decorations...

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I still think they are decorative personal id plates.......
http://www.historygateway.co.uk/history-tudor-artifacts.html

I'd have to guess something with rivets rather than nails due to the countersinking on the back. Anything nailed down would stand a good chance of the nailhead punching through. I thought I had a couple too, but mine had a more mundane use and were easily identified, lol!

Go back to post 17 relicdude and the idea of dogtags goes to Fast Dave. There are other mentioning of ID tags. Gypsy thinks they are personal ID tags. I realize that you are concuring with them and have found more convincing pics. Gypsy, Fast Dave, you Relicdude. and the others may be correct on some of them but I dont think they are all name tags as some do not even have room for a name.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

I didnt read all the post like i should i guess ,i just clicked on it the other day, and from all the ones i have found came to this conclusion along time ago...

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

You seem to be more convincing than the others. Im sure at least a few are ID tags. But I dont think they all are. I dunno.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

If you look at the big picture,not everyone in business in the old days wanted to cast their own brass,so they bought them just like they do today , and did what they could to personalize for their own companys..