Need help identifying what this object is

[Ayoparky]

I don't know where to begin in even classifying what this object may be. If I had to describe it I guess I would say it is a pendant of some type. I think the object is gold or at least contains some gold. I guess I will just post pictures and hopefully you folks can help me out.

 

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[camichael]

I'd say it is part of a cufflink... Swank made lots of mens jewelry...you need to test it, but from the looks, I'd say it isn't gold.

 

[Red-Coat]

Welcome to Tnet

Agree that 'cufflink' would be a good bet, but it could also be the front panel from a tie-clip. Swank often sold them together as a matching set, like this:



That particular 'SWANK' mark was registered in 1947, with claimed first use in commerce as 1927. I would think it's 'gold tone' (ie thin electroplate).

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Without knowing where you found it or the dimensions, I'd also guess that it's a cufflink.
Likely made of pot metal then gold-plated, looks to be from the 1930s - 40s.

"Pot metal is an alloy of low-melting point metals that manufacturers use to make fast, inexpensive castings. The term "pot metal" came about due to the practice at automobile factories in the early 20th century of gathering up non-ferrous metal scraps from the manufacturing processes and melting them in one pot to form into cast products. A small amount of iron usually made it into the castings, but too much iron raised the melting point, so it was minimized. There is no metallurgical standard for pot metal. Common metals in pot metal include zinc, lead, copper, tin, magnesium, aluminium, iron, and cadmium. The primary advantage of pot metal is that it is quick and easy to cast. Because of its low melting temperature, it requires no sophisticated foundry equipment or specialized molds. Manufacturers sometimes use it to experiment with molds and ideas before casting final products in a higher quality alloy.

Depending on the exact metals "thrown into the pot," pot metal can become unstable over time, as it has a tendency to bend, distort, crack, shatter, and pit with age. The low boiling point of zinc and fast cooling of newly cast parts often trap air bubbles within the cast part, weakening it. Many components common in pot metal are susceptible to corrosion from airborne acids and other contaminants, and internal corrosion of the metal often causes decorative plating to flake off. Pot metal is not easily glued, soldered, or welded. In the late nineteenth century, pot metal referred specifically to a copper alloy that was primarily alloyed with lead. Mixtures of 67% copper with 29% lead and 4% antimony and another one of 80% copper with 20% lead were common formulations. The primary component of pot metal is zinc, but often the caster adds other metals to the mix to strengthen the cast part, improve the flow of the molten metal, or to reduce cost. With a low melting point of 420 °C (786 °F), zinc is often alloyed with other metals including lead, tin, aluminium, and copper."

Dave