Decorative Brass

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I was recently looking through my pile of 'finds that I just can't throw out yet', and realized I have no idea what this is?
I found it years ago on a farm east of Toronto. It's made of brass and shows traces of either enamel or melted blue glass.

Any thoughts regarding date and original use would be appreciated,
Dave

 

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[paleomaxx]

I found a very similar one here in NY last year. It too had traces of enamel on the brass, but it had a broad loop on one side. I think it was determined to be a watch fob, but I can't find a photo of it. If I do I'll post it for comparison.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I found a very similar one here in NY last year. It too had traces of enamel on the brass, but it had a broad loop on one side. I think it was determined to be a watch fob, but I can't find a photo of it. If I do I'll post it for comparison.

Thanks very much Max, I'd love to see what you found.
Dave

Here are a few more pics of... 'finds that I just can't throw out yet'!
I have four more boxes of stuff just like these too.

 

[DCMatt]

Possibly from a chatelaine perfume/scent bottle. AKA vinaigrette.

These were used throughout much of the 19th C. Blue glass was not uncommon.

 

[creskol]

It looks like there is a tapered seat screw hole in the center, which means it could well be an antique brass furniture applique of some sort.

 

[paleomaxx]

Found it! Not exactly the same but pretty close in size, and style. You can see the loop I was talking about and it's just lightly brazed onto the back so it may have just broken off your example. The property I found mine at dates back to the 1830's, but I had a feeling that this was Victorian in age.

 

[ARC]

I got nothing...

Sorry no help Anti.

 

[Fourman110]

It’s got sort of a lyre style to it...

 

[invent4hir]

What a nice piece, just look at that detail! The ornate features have a Victorian look to them. In addition to the center hole, there are 2 more behind the blue glass, perhaps to backlight. It may be broken off of a bigger piece, as at the bottom there are some sections that don't flow with the design there. At first I thought it could be part of a brooch/pin, but don't see where the pin was attached...

 

[invent4hir]

The dark spoon in the first picture of other finds looks like a fiddleback design.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Possibly from a chatelaine perfume/scent bottle. AKA vinaigrette.

These were used throughout much of the 19th C. Blue glass was not uncommon.

View attachment 1686017

View attachment 1686018

Thanks very much for the pics Matt.
It would be so coll if this was part of a vinaigrette.

Thanks again for your help,
Dave

It looks like there is a tapered seat screw hole in the center, which means it could well be an antique brass furniture applique of some sort.

I was also thinking along those lines as well... 'furniture hardware'.
It's very thin, so maybe from a jewelry box or something?

Thank you my friend,
Dave

Found it! Not exactly the same but pretty close in size, and style. You can see the loop I was talking about and it's just lightly brazed onto the back so it may have just broken off your example. The property I found mine at dates back to the 1830's, but I had a feeling that this was Victorian in age.

View attachment 1686078

Thank you so much for taking the time to 'dig out' your detecting find Max.
My relic does look a lot like the piece you found. With the attachment you have on the top of yours, makes it look like a type of watch fob?

Thanks again Max,
Dave

I got nothing...

Sorry no help Anti.

Hey, no problem buddy.
I found it in 2011 when I first started detecting and I still can't figure it out.
Dave

It’s got sort of a lyre style to it...

It does have that look to it Fourman.
When I look at it, I see a mid-Victorian style (c1880).

Thanks for your post,
Dave

What a nice piece, just look at that detail! The ornate features have a Victorian look to them. In addition to the center hole, there are 2 more behind the blue glass, perhaps to backlight. It may be broken off of a bigger piece, as at the bottom there are some sections that don't flow with the design there. At first I thought it could be part of a brooch/pin, but don't see where the pin was attached...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me invent4hir.
With the remaining sections blue enamel, I'm leaning towards either brooch or part of a ladies hair pin.

Thanks again,
Dave

The dark spoon in the first picture of other finds looks like a fiddleback design.

Yes, this style of cutlery commonly stamped 'Nevada D&A' seems to have been a very popular style in my area.
Over they years, I must have found at least a dozen pieces of this design of tableware.

D&A Nevada Cutlery
The firm was established in Birmingham in the late 19th century (the first known sterling silver hallmark was entered in Birmingham Assay Office in 1882). The founders were Thomas Henry Daniel (died 1897) and Thomas Richard Arter (died c. 1915) and was active at Globe Nevada Silver Works, Highgate Street, Birmingham as makers of brass, nickel-silver and electro-plated spoons, forks, ladles, etc. (1892). The firm had also a London showroom at 62 Holborn Viaduct (until 1896) and later at 98 Hatton Garden. In 1920 the firm was converted into a limited liability company and became Daniel & Arter Ltd. The business was closed in the 1930s and their dies were purchased by W.J. Baker & Sons Ltd. The main activity of the firm was the manufacture of a wide array of silverplate flatware and holloware marketed under the trade name of Nevada Silver (the best known) and others as Aluminum Silver, Argenline, Bengal Silver, Brazilian Silver, Burmaroid, Indian Silver, Japanese Silver, Laxey Silver, etc.

 

[Hawks88]

Just a guess but could it be from a vintage beer stein? I’ve seen emblems on some that look similar. Just a guess.

 

[Lunch Bag]

If any of you guys are having difficulty throwing things out just invite my wife over.

With her German heritage she is a master of decluttering, purging, and giving away or donating anything that has not been used in the past two weeks.

You’ll most likely be crying for weeks (like I have) but your home will be a few tons lighter.

 

[HuntinDog]

WHOA Lunch Bag...
Keep her away from my place!!!

 

[Plug N Play]

Throwing out another possibility.
Some book clasps were attached to the cover with small rivets.

 

[Breezie]

No era of time was more fancy and flamboyant than the Victorian era. If it has areas to collect dust, it's Victorian . . .is a saying I've heard for many years.

Both of the finds are Victorian, and there are many possibilities, which have already been stated. I'd like to throw-out another idea: The bottom or top of a Victorian Bell Pull.


Neat finds
Breezie

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Just a guess but could it be from a vintage beer stein? I’ve seen emblems on some that look similar. Just a guess.

Thanks for sharing you theory Hawks.
This is likely going to be one of those mysteries that never gets solved.
Dave

If any of you guys are having difficulty throwing things out just invite my wife over.

With her German heritage she is a master of decluttering, purging, and giving away or donating anything that has not been used in the past two weeks.

You’ll most likely be crying for weeks (like I have) but your home will be a few tons lighter.

I wish I had a wife like yours buddy, my wife has OCD and doesn't throw nothin away!
I'm the complete opposite... if we haven't touched it for 10+ years it's either recycled, donated or trashed.
Dave

WHOA Lunch Bag...
Keep her away from my place!!!

I should post a pic of my wife's 'artist studio'... what a bloody mess!

Throwing out another possibility.
Some book clasps were attached to the cover with small rivets.

View attachment 1686211

That's actually a great suggestion buddy, thank you.
I found it on top of a small hill in the owners backyard where there used to be a vegetable garden back in the day.
So it might've come off of a book or possibly a bible?

My friend's grandparents house was built c1885 near Marlbank, ON, has had a number of alterations made to it over the years.
The well directly in front of the house, still produces the coldest, sweetest spring water even on a 90F summer day.

The red 'X' marks where I found it back in 2011.
Dave

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

No era of time was more fancy and flamboyant than the Victorian era. If it has areas to collect dust, it's Victorian . . .is a saying I've heard for many years.

Both of the finds are Victorian, and there are many possibilities, which have already been stated. I'd like to throw-out another idea: The bottom or top of a Victorian Bell Pull.
View attachment 1686252

Neat finds
Breezie

Hi Breezie, it's been a long time!

Thank you so much for your suggestion.
There were some pretty big houses in the area that were built with the money the concrete plant produced.
Dave

Marlbank, Ontario – A Brief History

Dr. James Allen, the pioneer of the first canal and mills that established the settlement, named the region Marlbank after the marl deposits in the area. marl is a type of clay mixed with carbonate of lime. When it was discovered that Marlbank Marl produced the most prized and durable cement, the English Portland Cement Company developed a manufactory in 1890. In 1898, after renovations, the Beaver Portland Cement Company of Canada (later incorporated into Canada Portland Cement) took over the manufactory. The cement was used in famous projects, such as the Panama Canal (1904-14) and the Quebec Bridge (1900-1907). Due to the influx of workers to the Marlbank region, the economy boomed. It had an impressive downtown of ten stores, bakery, barber shop, 2 hotels, bank, millinery shop, tinsmith, 3 blacksmiths, pool hall, saw and grist mills, apiary, cheese factory and a doctor. In 1913 the Orange Hall was constructed, which provided a facility for the billeting and training of soldiers of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces of WWI.

 

[DCMatt]

Looked at this again. I'm still thinking it is perfume related. Search 'Czech perfume bottles". Turn of the 20th C.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

View attachment 1687084 View attachment 1687087

Looked at this again. I'm still thinking it is perfume related. Search 'Czech perfume bottles". Turn of the 20th C.

Thanks very much for your pics and help with this relic Matt!
Dave