Civil War grenade Non-dug mystery????

[picnic42]

This item was gifted to me from a friend, who knew I was finding Civil War artifacts with a metal detector. I had given his son a little Tonka toy found in a volley ball court. He told me that he "bought" this and the seller said it was a fuze or time delay component for a Civil War hand grenade. I googled many searches... including fuze and time delay and found nothing at all like this. ( on a note included said... "Civil War Ketchum Grenade Detonator... seldom seen")
This is non metalic... probably some hard paper or hard wood like composition (no grain can be seen). It is hard not soft or pliable in any way. It has seven holes drilled thru to the end. This is not hollow as I first thought but a solid piece that has seven small holes bored thru it.
I am now thinking while writing this... might this be the charge itself all dried out? There is nothing mechanical about this piece... but just thinking... why have the bored holes except for faster burn?
Help me ID this thing please...
Ralph

 

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[NOLA_Ken]

im thinking it looks like a "cryer box" from a very old baby doll. most likely celuloid or bakelite.

Good call!

 

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[dozer dan]

so because this object is not as exciting or as glamorous as a Civil War hand grenade, everyone is uninterested as to what it is or could be?

 

[NOLA_Ken]

so because this object is not as exciting or as glamorous as a Civil War hand grenade, everyone is uninterested as to what it is or could be?

I think that it's more a matter of people being out if ideas

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Just gotta say - saltpeter isn't going to kill you - heck, if it did, thousands upon thousand of military folks would be dead, not to mention all the thousands of all our relatives who put saltpeter in the sausage and the bacon, just 40 years ago (maybe less).

I don't have a guess on what it is, but, for the record, people have been using salt preceding most written history. Did you know that back in biblical times - you could buy salt? It's cost was an even trade - ounce for ounce - for gold. ("he is the salt of the earth). And the word "salary"
comes from "salarium" , because Roman soldiers were paid partly in salt.

The "official" first salt shaker was in 1858 (by none other than John Mason, of Mason Jar fame, who made a smaller jar and put holes in the lid). So, that would make it 153 years old, so, a 150 year old salt shaker? Possibly.

Beth


PS Interesting find

 

[Monty]

Don't worry about saltpeter, it's just a myth that it effects your sex life. That is probably what someone thought when they saw what it was called. If the military put it in a GIs food, it doesn't work. When I was 19 years old and overseas in the military, about all we guys did was hunt up a pretty B girl and well, you guys who were stationed overseas in the military know how you spent a great deal of your off duty time. That's pretty good evidence it didn't work! Not that I would ever do anything like that myself. M nty

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Could it be a Humydrole or humidifier for a tobacco humidor?

Can it be opened to see whats inside?? http://p1.la-img.com/170/22494/7856021_6_l.jpg http://p1.la-img.com/170/22494/7856021_6_l.jpg

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Monty

Saltpeter is for storage purposes - increases shelf life. That's why its used in military meals (not the ones at the mess hall), and that's why they used it in pork products, like bacon and sausage.

We don't call it saltpeter anymore - now they call it Potassium Nitrate. (its chemical name). And, its still used in some things. Saltpeter does have one quality - it can cause relaxation in the involuntary muscle fiber. However, with that, you can certainly understand that some things that contain saltpeter has a "calming" effect. Which is much different than what happens to your blood supply.


Beth

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It would help if we can determine the material. Could it be solid hard rubber? I realize you do not want to damage it but maybe there are ways to test it. Does it float? Is it heavy? Can you see light through the holes? Is anything loose inside when you shake it? Is it painted black?