Odd silver piece

[cudamark]

This little item measures 1" long by 3/8" wide. It was complete as in the first photo when I found it. While washing it off, the glue/paste dissolved and released the two pieces. What's odd is that the inside surface of the one section is mother of pearl or abalone. Why would it made of something like that and not be seen when assembled? The outer metal shell is sterling silver (marked) but is a bit crude and appears to have a solder point on the edge. The edge and back? side is more ornate, with some scroll work around the rim. Found on a private home site built about 90 years ago.

 

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[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Thats pretty cool. It looks like an old turn of the century womans hair slide

 

[cudamark]

Thanks for the suggestion. It just seems a bit small for that but maybe it was part of a set. I just found it curious that the mother of pearl was on the inside where it couldn't be seen and that the part that says sterling on it was rather crude as if it was not supposed to be seen. I think there should be something else soldered to it. Maybe the slide/clip piece as you suggested. That would then make the insert section, the display side, which would then seem incomplete also. I guess I need to see a few more examples to confirm that it is one.

 

[TreasureGrabber]

It seems some part of jewelry...

 

[on.off]

it is from some kind of jewelry piece. the solder mark on the back would have been some kind of pin or clip finding or the attachment to a larger piece. what size is it?
i can't really tell what that beige material is, but it might have actually started out as abalone and degraded underground (the inside, where the abalone/mother-of-pearl is still visible, was seemingly protected from whatever damaged the exterior).
abalone pieces with prominent bumps were popular in silver jewelry circa 1890s-1920s, which is right for your house timeframe and also for the decorative style.
here is an example with a big lump (source: rubylane):

 

[cudamark]

Thanks on.off. Yours appears to be the same design as mine. What is yours used as? The mother of pearl section of mine seems a bit degraded on the exposed outer area but is still recognizable and might polish up. As I stated in my first post, it measures 1" by 3/8". Does your have any solder points on the silver "top"? Bottom?

 

[on.off]

Sorry didn't see the dimensions. The one I posted isn't mine but just a pic off the internet (rubylane). However it had a standard pin back. to be honest I can't immediately identify that kind of placement for a solder mark on your piece--possibly a small clip, stickpin, or it was attached to something else.