Bit Boss

[kl1001]

Anyone have any ideas? Not like others I have seen photos of. Has no stippled back round , and has a glossy finish

 

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[creskol]

I am assuming that you didn't dig these?

 

[HutSiteDigger]

I believe these could be Civil War US Cavalry Rosettes... They may be post war too.. CannonBallGuy might be able to determine that.

 

[creskol]

They look like a rather crude re-cast of an original to me ... The letters are sloppy and not crisp and the stippling that is evident appears reversed. Can't tell anything about the back, but they look filled.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Here are examples of some dug Civil War ones.

 

[kl1001]

No dig.From estate sale. Was told that owner acquired in the 1950's

 

[kl1001]

Agree not sure what to think. They are heavy in weight. Appear to be brass or lead

 

[HutSiteDigger]

CannonBallGuy one of the expert members here on TN will be able to tell. He is got over 40 years experience with Civil War artifacts and wrote a book on CW Projectiles,etc. Hopefully he see's this post if not I will shoot him over a message to look @ this.

 

[kl1001]

Thank you

 

[BosnMate]

Back around 1965 we had a set of army surplus work harness. I remember a US on that harness and
thought perhaps I was onto something. Checked it out, and the US was cast into the iron swivel on the
trace chain, so no help there. Your rosette is either off a bit or a reproduction. Here's a photo of the
US on a trace chain.

 

[creskol]

Back around 1965 we had a set of army surplus work harness. I remember a US on that harness and
thought perhaps I was onto something. Checked it out, and the US was cast into the iron swivel on the
trace chain, so no help there. Your rosette is either off a bit or a reproduction. Here's a photo of the
US on a trace chain.
View attachment 853578 View attachment 853581

Love those chains!

 

[kl1001]

Close but not quite. Maybe a direction to go
though.
Thanks

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Got a PM heads-up from HutSiteDigger. (Thanks.) In my opinion, that bit-boss is a Reproduction, because:
1- it is much cruder than the actual Military Issue ones I've seen
2- the two mounting-holes are much larger than usual (compare with the photo below and ones in the photo posted by HutSiteDigger)
3- the holes are countersunk (a beveled-edge hole), which doesn't match up with any US bit-boss I've ever seen (including online photos). The real US bit-bosses were attached by a simple rivet, which does not require a countersunk hole.

Countersunk mounting-holes are typical for objects which are attached by a flush-head screw.

 

[creskol]

They look like a rather crude re-cast of an original to me ... The letters are sloppy and not crisp and the stippling that is evident appears reversed. Can't tell anything about the back, but they look filled.

CannonBallGuy one of the expert members here on TN will be able to tell. He is got over 40 years experience with Civil War artifacts and wrote a book on CW Projectiles,etc. Hopefully he see's this post if not I will shoot him over a message to look @ this.

Well Hut .. There you have it! ... and in addition.. all the edges are rounded over with no sharp definition.

 

[kl1001]

Thanks

 

[kl1001]

Must be some post war reproductions. Found another set that sold on Ebay.

 

[kl1001]

I did a little research and read that others have actually dug the above type. Is there any chance they were used on something other that a bridle bit?

 

[BuckleBoy]

Sorry to bump up an old thread. Seems like the post CW ones don't have a stippled background or period after the "U" in "US." Certainly the example in the OP is post-war, if not repro.