🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Can you identify this small silver tag?

[Glen's Loyalists]

So this arrived in the mail today for my son. A friend of his found this in a thrift shop in southern Ontario for 50 cents. She knows he likes things like this so sent it to him.

It seems to be silver, certainly has age and is marked with a 4 and crossed keys.

I know the keys can represent St Peter and the keys to heaven, and I have a late medieval signet ring with the magical mark of 4 on it, which can represent Chi Rho and thus the first letters of Christs name, so perhaps religious in nature? Or maybe something completely different, we have no idea.

Any thoughts?

 

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[Mud Hut]

Maybe a room key fob from the Cross Keys Hotel?

 

[pepperj]

Could be an old Sheffield mark.

Just need to enlarge to read.

 

[Bucket Lister]

Could be an old Sheffield mark.

Just need to enlarge to read.

View attachment 2172135

Does the orientation of the keys matter?
They're flipped between OP's and Sheffield example.

So this tag is 4 cm (~1.5") long? (No numbers on the ruler)

May we see the flipside (even if blank)?

What kind of tag would someone want to be made of silver? 🤔

 

[DCMatt]

Not much to go on...

If you hadn't said "silver" I would guess it's an aluminum repair/rebuild tag from an old carburetor.

Why would anyone use a tag made of silver? Are you sure it's silver?

Whatever the metal, it's kinda beat. So, either it was attached to something doing work or it has environmental damage - like from being buried in the ground...

I found a somewhat similar "cross keys in shield" mark used on Henry Wilkinson & Co. silver items. But it isn't an exact match and all the HW&Co things I saw had additional hallmarks.

 

[pepperj]

Does the orientation of the keys matter?
They're flipped between OP's and Sheffield example.

So this tag is 4 cm (~1.5") long? (No numbers on the ruler)

May we see the flipside (even if blank)?

What kind of tag would someone want to be made of silver? 🤔

So I have a silver widget.
Coin, candlestick, cane band, etc...

I need to purchase a something, lodging, food, drink.

This tag might of started out being a larger sterling item.

Clipped down, holed sewn in the clothing.
It has a maker's mark.
Possible weight of 4 grams, or the purity (doubt that 4 is the purity)
It's a little commodity for a future need.

Now there has been high end items that have come with an accessory. In this case a key tag, or just a little tag from the maker indicating his mark.

(Just throwing it at the wall to see if it sticks)

 

[invent4hir]

Nice gift. Agree probably aluminum tag once riveted/attached to _________. If it had been dug and information about the site and artifacts found nearby were included, that context might help fill in the blank.

 

[pepperj]

Nice gift. Agree probably aluminum tag once riveted/attached to _________. If it had been dug and information about the site and artifacts found nearby were included, that context might help fill in the blank.

Pewter, silver plate have had maker's marks.
Aluminum?
Will have to look to see.

 

[Glen's Loyalists]

Thanks for all the input, lots of interesting ideas. Other than it came for a thrift shop in Ontario we have no information on it. It is about 4 cm or 1.5 inch long. Nothing on the back except where you can see the strike through of the crossed keys and the 4. I don't think it is aluminum, it's not brittle enough.
We have since found this picture online which was identified as identified as a military dog tag, but I think that is a guess on their part:

From the little I have read, most early dog tags were round and there is no identifying information on it, so I doubt if that is it.

Maybe it's a key tag, for lock #4, I am thinking it may remain a mystery.