Metal Object With Face

[joe_dirt]

I dug this today at a 19th century homestead site. It might be difficult to see in photos, it's fairly difficult to see in person too, but one side has a face on it. It's a portrait facing to the right. The most visible parts are the neck, mouth, nose and forehead area. I have no idea who it is, or what the object is. There doesn't seem to be any broken off edges, so this seems to be the actual shape of the item. Any ideas?

 

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[TomPA]

It is difficult to make out as you mention, but to me it looks like a man and a woman facing each other. If it's recessed or carved into the material (lead?) maybe putting some powder onto it will bring out the outline better.

 

[joe_dirt]

It's possible that it's just one of those cases where my eyes/mind are playing tricks on me and there's really no face at all. But using a lens I can see the lines of the apparent face are recessed, so something is there.

 

[joe_dirt]

Someone I showed it to said it looks kind of like a heel plate from a shoe. I searched for examples online and it does have the basic shape, minus the holes I see on most of them. As a side note, he disagreed that it has a face on it.

 

[flinthunter]

It looks like it might be a heel plate. I see the image you are talking about. It looks sort of like a man and woman facing each other to me.

 

[taz42o]

Brass? lead?

 

[joe_dirt]

Brass? lead?

It appears to be lead.

 

[BabyNeedsANewPairO'Shoes]

This is fun! Like an ink blot test!
Here's what I see!

 

[joe_dirt]

This is fun! Like an ink blot test!
Here's what I see!
View attachment 916187

Haha, classic. However, I won't mark this one "solved" just yet... :thumbup:

 

[CRUSADER]

If your sure its lead then you can rule out a heel plate.

 

[joe_dirt]

If your sure its lead then you can rule out a heel plate.

I'm almost positive it's lead. It's just one of those items I'm curious about. Based on the shape, heel plate was my only guess. So knowing it's not that, I have no idea.

 

[diggummup]

I don't see any faces but I do see some very small diagonal cross hatching on the face of that plate when I blow up the photo. What that means, I have no clue. Just figured i'd throw it out there.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Okay I see a Disneylike dog (side view)on the right and another human caricature with a big ear (side view as well)on the left.Anyone else seeing that?

 

[joe_dirt]

Okay I see a Disneylike dog (side view)on the right and another human caricature with a big ear (side view as well)on the left.Anyone else seeing that?

I'm seeing so many things now that I'm convinced there's actually nothing there. As far as I'm concerned now it's just one of those mystery items, also known as junk.

 

[Kevo_DFX]

Huh, I noticed something completely different. It looks like a four-leaf clover to me. That combined with the horseshoe shape, could it be a good luck charm?

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

How thick is that? It sure looks like a heelplate to me..But if you say its lead, that doesnt pan out...is it pretty heavy?

 

[joe_dirt]

How thick is that? It sure looks like a heelplate to me..But if you say its lead, that doesnt pan out...is it pretty heavy?

I don't have it with me right now, but it's roughly as thick as a quarter, maybe slightly thinner. It feels light for lead, but it sure seems like lead to me. Of course it's possible I'm wrong.

 

[BabyNeedsANewPairO'Shoes]

It appears to be lead.

Silly question, I know...but have you tried a magnet yet

 

[joe_dirt]

Silly question, I know...but have you tried a magnet yet

Not a silly question, but yeah I've tried and it's non magnetic.

 

[DCMatt]

Not a heel plate. A heel plate would have holes for mounting.

I think you have a "cliche". It is a printing plate used in mid to late 19th C stereotype printing. And YES, that is where we get our words "Cliche" & "Stereotype". They were originally used in the printing business.

I see a man (left) facing a woman (right). Cool find.

DCMatt