Civil war flag staff base? or not

[gman17]

 

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[BosnMate]

No, I think it come's off the end of a single tree used when driving a horse or horses. I'll try and find and post a picture.

 

[johnnyi]

This is the end fitting to one of the two arms of a carriage or sulky

 

[gman17]

Thx I thought it looked kinda weird, just never dug one before.

 

[johnnyi]

gman, it's a neat very old find. If I have time I'll drag some of mine out, as they can be found in all varieties of end design, but they all have that single hole. Sometimes you'll find them worn down on the fore side, probably by drivers who hitched or unhitched while letting the arms drag on cobblestone. Here a link which shows where they were placed. http://www.discover-horse-carriage-driving.com/images/Dogcart.jpg

 

[BosnMate]

Here you go, the first picture is of a heavy duty single tree.
the harness "tugs," or "trace chains" attach to the hooks on each end. I'm thinking your find is more apt to be what's called a "neck yoke." It's a spacer that holds the team together in the front, and also holds the wagon tongue between the horses up at the desired level. You have found the hook end. Your find is also possibly a single tree, or whiffle tree for a single animal pulling a buggy in shafts.
Here is a picture of one style hook end single tree or neck yoke. It's the one in the middle of the picture.
And finally a close up of a hook end single tree, or neck yoke. There are lots of different style attachments, hopefully you get the idea. The neck yoke is in the front, the single tree in the back of the horse/horses. Actually at the back of a team you have a "double tree," which consists of single trees on each end of a double tree or. First photo is the hook end, second is a double tree. I'm thinking you find is more likely to be a neck yoke because the hook is on the small side to have tugs attached, plus it's made out of brass. Third photo speaks for it's self.

 

[johnnyi]

Ha, Bosun', I see I'm going to have to yank out old boxes now so we can have a good old fashioned fittings war.



p.s. I found a link from several years ago which has some of mine and Jefff's. Pay attention to the wear on some; as it explins the necessity of some type of protrusion to temporarily hang the arms when hitching and unhitching so as not to scrape the ground.

Meanwhile I'm going to struggle with posting a picture of another type I dug with a different protrusion altogether.
* These brass carrige ends are long brass with one screw hole. They couldn't withstand the type a leverage of a tree, which is pounded in and banded like Bosun's.. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/143742-brass-tip-2.html

 

[johnnyi]

The link in the previous post showed some on page one and two. There are other examples I'll try to find which also which only have a small bead on the end, unable to to take any more weight than to keep the arms aloft while hitching. Here's an example I just pulled out of the sock drawer (now where the hell are my socks!!)

 

[johnnyi]

I concede!
They are two entirely different things, and although they are both brass, both the same size, and both have one hole, the one here is a whiffle tree! and the slightly shorter plain end ones are carriage ends.

I am humbled and enlightened! Every day I learn. Nice i.d. BosnMate!

P.S. Ha Ha Ha! I just found this....http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/17425-brass.html oh man...

 

[gman17]

Thx for the info guys, I think I've learned something today.