✅ SOLVED fish object found in civil war camp

[treasurehound]

I will give the best info that I can on this unusual item. It is a fish design that meausres 2 1/2" long and about 3/4" wide. There is a number 10 on the back. The bottom and top are separated all the way down to the tail. I do not know if it originally was this way or separated in time. Could this be a clip? There is a ring on the front for what attached to it I do not know. The ring appears to be made of copper and the fish maybe tin or silver. This was dug at a civil war camp near Chattanooga several years ago.

 

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[shaun7]

a fishing lure?

 

[Montana Jim]

Looks like it held a pin on the back at one time... maybe the loop on the top (front) had a dangly whatever hanging from it? Shaun7 might have nailed it - two hooks hanging from those holes on the back (bottom).

This is a great "what is it"!

 

[IronSpike]

Maybe the loop in the front was for hooking the fish. The fish was part of a game "catch the fish" and the number on the back represents points.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Maybe the loop in the front was for hooking the fish. The fish was part of a game "catch the fish" and the number on the back represents points.

Like this? http://images.google.com/imgres?img...t:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7GGLR_en&sa=N&um=1

 

[Tricia]

It's very ornate for a simple game.

 

[BuckleBoy]

It's very ornate for a simple game.

But maybe not for an item produced mid-century and played out of boredom in a CW camp. It would take research into the history of that game to prove or disprove the idea. Euchre, poker, chuck-a-luck, and cribbage are all well-documented favorites in the same vein (games of chance). Even chess, checkers, and baseball were played in some camps. I don't think that "catch the fish" is an idea that can be easily ruled out.

Another strong clue, IMO is the fact that the fish is made to lay Flat. If it were a button of some sort, then the detail would be on the opposite side from the shank. The fact that the detail is on the top (where the loop is), and the point value remains hidden until the fish is "caught" I think seals the deal for me.

It is a great ID by IronSpike, whether or not it had connections to the camp, who knows. But it is most certainly made of stamped brass--not copper, tin, or silver.


Regards,


Buckles

 

[Montana Jim]

Or it was lost one hundred years later.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I agree, Jim.

It is a great ID by IronSpike, whether or not it had connections to the camp, who knows.

 

[Tricia]

Sure it can be a fish game piece but you're right. It may or may not have connections to the camp. Guess I was thinking that it'd be a bunch of heavy little pieces to carry around by soldiers all the time. But maybe it's from only a few decades ago.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Sure it can be a fish game piece but you're right. It may or may not have connections to the camp. Guess I was thinking that it'd be a bunch of heavy little pieces to carry around by soldiers all the time. But maybe it's from only a few decades ago.

Soldiers carried bats, leather baseballs, carved chess pieces, poker chips, and many other items around. These appear to be stamped brass, and a set of a dozen of them would be very light.

I'm not trying to make a case for them being CW related here, just trying to keep an open mind.


Best Wishes,


Buckles

 

[Tricia]

A major question might be...does that ring on top fold up so you can snag it in such a game? Or do you all think it was originally a standing ring and is now just pushed on top of the fish, bent over?

 

[BuckleBoy]

A major question might be...does that ring on top fold up so you can snag it in such a game? Or do you all think it was originally a standing ring and is now just pushed on top of the fish, bent over?

My hunch is that the loop is mashed or bent.

Found lots of buttons mashed like that through the years.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

The eye hook is bent and not positioned right for a fishing lure. I think this is an interesting find.

The only part that doesnt seem to fit the fishing game is the two connection marks underneath. What could they be for in the game?

 

[lastleg]

Everyone knows the Union Army served fish on Fridays. I
suspect that on Thursdays they had a drawing to see which
yankees had to catch the fish. So these fish symbols were
attached to their uniforms so they couldn't weasle out of the
job.

lastleg

 

[CRUSADER]

I'm not sure what it was used for, but I'm pretty sure the '10' is a part number, for use when making it.

 

[IronSpike]

Maybe 10th place fishing medal prize? What kind of fish is it?

The pin holes on back could be method to fasten the number plate.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Maybe 10th place fishing medal prize? What kind of fish is it?

The pin holes on back could be method to fasten the number plate.

Whats a number plate?

 

[IronSpike]

the one piece with the number 10 stamped on it is the 'number plate' (numbered plate).

 

[IronSpike]

I think I found it:

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...shaped+medal&ndsp=18&hl=en&sa=N&start=72&um=1