Civil War lead backing?

[Mr. Magoo]

I found this a few years ago and thought it was a piece off a cannonball. I knew it was a cleaner cut than I thought would be found in the ground but kind of blew it off as coincidence. Recently going through my stuff I looked at it again and am thinking this may be the lead insert to a cartridge box, breastplate or buckle. Not sure. Can anyone lend some advise on this thought process? It is approximately 3" in diameter and about 3/4" thick in deepest spot. It is almost perfectly circular and the back has no indication of attachment (i. e, rust or wire protrustions). It weighs 1 lb 5.9 oz of solid lead. I keep looking at the front and think there may be an image of an eagle imbedded in it but may be my imagination. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

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[DCMatt]

It is too 'domed' and too heavy to be part of any kind of plate or buckle I've ever seen.

Rough cast but still seems to be made for a purpose. Is it concave on the bottom or just flat?

DCMatt

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I'm certain that it is the discarded leftover melted-lead puddle from the bottom of an old-time plumber's iron bowl-shaped "crucible" pot. (It is shaped like a small soup-bowl.) Old-time plumbers used the crucible to melt lead for making a seal around the joint in cast-iron pipes. I own and use a very similar bowl-shaped iron crucible for melting scrap lead to make lead bullets. I often have some melted lead left over, and when it solidifies in the bottom of the iron bowl, it of course takes the shape of the bowl's rounded bottom, and is more-or-less flat on top, often with some small ridges and/or swirly areas on the top. When I'm finished (and the lead has cooled), I then turn the bowl-crucible over and tap it, causing the solidified lead remnant fall out ...which looks just like your find. Being a thrifty person, I save it for re-use. But many plumbers just threw away the remnant. I've dug several which look just like yours around old house-sites. I recognized them because I'd "made" some myself.

 

[nhbenz]

Some similar (but usually smaller) items dug in England are labeled as being palm guards for leather workers. Although this seems large for that and doesn't have the signs of usage for that application. But, just a thought.

 

[BuckleBoy]

CannonballGuy is right. I have dug these before--the leftover lead from a crucible.

Regards,

Buck