Interesting Find, But Dont Have A Clue

[RickyD]

Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

I posted this find alittle over three years ago with nothing but guesses. But now there's a bunch of new experts out there, so thought I'd try again. This item was dug on the firing range of Ft. Steilacoom in Washington State. The fort was in existence from 1849 to 1868. The reason I know it was the fort's firing range is because I dug over 200 3-ringer minis, plus a few round balls in the same area. It is made of thin, stamped brass and is 3 1/2 inches by 2 inches. It looks to be a hand holding some sort of tool. There is no broken off locations on the back that would indicate it had ears for anchoring it to leather or the such. But rather looks like it may have been pressed over something else, such as they did with the face plates of civil war era sword buckles. Hope someone can ID it....

 

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[fmerg]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

i believe it is a emblem from a ceramic wine bottle

 

[diggummup]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

I don't have a clue yet but....

i believe it is a emblem from a ceramic wine bottle

Do you care to elaborate as to why?

 

[daroofa]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

1800s cricket belt buckle

 

[ipsilateral]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

I wonder if this is related to temperance?

 

[fmerg]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

180

I don't have a clue yet but....

i believe it is a emblem from a ceramic wine bottle

Do you care to elaborate as to why?

i have seen other emblems but i cant find any online references to show

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

I remember this the first time it came through...

I'm a believer in the "fraternity symbol" angle, but, can't prove it.

The item looks like a chisel to me.



Here is the original post from 2007...

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,66133.0.html

 

[Dano Sverige]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

It's a very small cricket bat in a very large hand, suggesting "English". Hmm..interesting.

 

[Broken knee]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

It looks like a cricket bat award or pin?
Broken knee
JMO It is a representation of a cricket bat even being disproportionate in size to the hand.

 

[deepskyal]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

I read that entire other post and see this is going in the same direction.

I would ask...it is obviously stamped...thus probably mass produced? So I don't think a trophy emblem or something isolated for a winning cricket team.

The very first thing that popped into my mind was a hand pulling a lever of some sort. Like a beer tap. Maybe try going along a different line. Maybe this was something to do with beer...or maybe a trainman pulling a brake lever....

Just a different angle.

Al

 

[artyfacts]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

The object at its widest point compared to the palm of the hand makes it about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. It looks like a lumpy upside down wood chisel with the beveled edge above the hand and the handle pointing down. At first glance I thought it was a champagne glass. Very nice whatsit... Arty

 

[RickyD]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

It looks like a cricket bat award or pin?
Broken knee
JMO It is a representation of a cricket bat even being disproportionate in size to the hand.

Your crickett bat photo is right on as far as same design, right down to the wrap on the handle and the "V" at its base. I think it's alittle big to be a pin. The face plate to a belt buckle maybe, as daroofa suggested. Though disperportionate in size, it looks too much like a crickett bat to be anything else. Thanks for the info..

 

[RickyD]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

Found this antique cricket buckle. Doesn't look the same, but the dimpled back ground and outer lip looks the same.

 

[ipsilateral]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

I went back and read the original post and having now actually looked at some cricket bats, I too believe that this is clearly a cricket bat. Why it was in WA state around CW bullets at a mental hospital is beyond me. But, there is no doubt that this is a bloody cricket bat, and like others have stated probably had a home on a buckle or trophy. When people dig up Roman coins in Texas, that doesn't make much sense to me either, but there you go. I used to live in Louisiana and there were a bunch of New Zealanders and Indians who would get together for cricket matches on Saturdays. People who play this insanely long and boring game are nonetheless obsessed with it in all corners of the world--probably obsessed enough to stamp out little brass cricket emblems that would infect us with their particular breed of insanity decades later.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

I remember this the first time it came through...

I'm a believer in the "fraternity symbol" angle, but, can't prove it.

The item looks like a chisel to me.



Here is the original post from 2007...

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,66133.0.html

I see you still need to buy those spectacles Jim ... some sort of Cricket buckle or clasp...still

SS

 

[DD-777]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

If it were me, I'd send a pic to a well established auction house like Sotheby's. There has to be someone that would know it as soon as they see it...

 

[RickyD]

Re: Interesting Find, But Don't Have A Clue

I went back and read the original post and having now actually looked at some cricket bats, I too believe that this is clearly a cricket bat. Why it was in WA state around CW bullets at a mental hospital is beyond me. But, there is no doubt that this is a bloody cricket bat, and like others have stated probably had a home on a buckle or trophy. When people dig up Roman coins in Texas, that doesn't make much sense to me either, but there you go. I used to live in Louisiana and there were a bunch of New Zealanders and Indians who would get together for cricket matches on Saturdays. People who play this insanely long and boring game are nonetheless obsessed with it in all corners of the world--probably obsessed enough to stamp out little brass cricket emblems that would infect us with their particular breed of insanity decades later.

To clarify the CW era bullet finds at a mental hospital, before it became a mental hospital, it was a military fort. And the fact that a piece of crickett paraphanalia would show up in Washington State I don't believe is that far fetched. The settlers of that same area the fort was built on when it was still the Washington Territory were shipped in from Europe and contracted out to the fur trade giant Hudson Bay. Many, as they did in their old country, raised sheep. And by 1800 crickett was already popular in Europe, with England having a touring team in the mid 1800's. And one of those crazy blokes might have brought an artifact of the game with him.....Anyway, I'm going to consider this question solved, or at least satisfying enough for me. Thanks guys. You were great as always.