Carved Bullet? What do you think?

[Ifyndit]

I found this eagle a few years ago at an early fort site dating from the 1850's. I never knew what it was (and still don't) but I thought it may be a carved bullet. The item is almost the same size as a .58 caliber Minnie ball (shown) and made of lead. There is a small hole at the base of the eagle and the base is tapered like it was meant to be a stopper. Has anyone found one of these before or do you think it could be a carved bullet?

 

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[Jim West Pa]

Looks cast to my I.Looks like an eagle that didn't work out.

 

[sanford.]

Probably a stopper for a powder horn. Would be about the right size.

 

[Montana Jim]

Thats a great piece and an awesome whatsit!

However - I don't think it's carved.

Are there no mold marks at all? Seams?

 

[junkdigger]

Banjo tuning peg. Odd for Washington state though.....?

 

[Ifyndit]

Now that I have looked a little closer there does appear to be a seam on the bottom of the stopper. I guess that rules out the carved bullet theory! Any other ideas out there? The powder horn stopper sounds good but the hole in the tapered end makes me think it was used for something else.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

I agree with the tuning peg..Looks old , the hole is for a thin wire to go and wrap around the peg..It looks alot like a guitar peg..But must be a very old one...

 

[Montana Jim]

Banjo tuning peg. Odd for Washington state though.....?

Looks like one huh? Except... the wire would slice through the lead like hot butter when tightened... do you think?

 

[Old Dog]

Jim,
A tuning peg is what it looks like.
Many of the earlier Banjo's had pegs that were made of ebony and or ivory.
and yes , they were hand carved.

Thom

 

[Montana Jim]

Jim,
A tuning peg is what it looks like.
Many of the earlier Banjo's had pegs that were made of ebony and or ivory.
and yes , they were hand carved.

Thom

I agree... it looks like one! But made from lead? I would think it too soft is all... I've been googling for lead tunner knobs... Nothing yet...

 

[RELICDUDE07]

May have been for a harp or something else.. With nylon classical strings.. They have some old ones going way back in time ..

 

[relic lover]

they used to use cat gut for strings so it could be a peg