Old Silver Whatizit

West Jersey Detecting

West Jersey Detecting

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Oct 23, 2006
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I found this tiny silver thing today at the site where I found the KGIII, the Draped Bust Half Cent and the Seated Half Dime earlier this week. It was more than 8 inches deep, but I knew immediately it was silver when I saw it. It was bent but I was able to straighten it out a bit. It measures 21mm wide by 22 mm high including the tab that must have fit into a slot. The tab was once straight but I do not want to risk any more stress on the metal.

Any ID is appreciated!
 

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Well, I feel certain that this one is an 18th c. find. Bears a resemblance to trade silver in its construction, but like you, I have a hunch that this had a specific function.

Wish I could help--but I'm interested to hear what others think about this one.

Cheers,


Buckles
 

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Cool find. I would agree with the clasp ID. The moment I saw it I thought it looked like a neck stock clasp. It's different with the tab on the bottom and the 3 holes but the shape is very similar. Unless the holes actually contained pins or studs like you would see on a neck stock clasp!? It's the closest thing I can find it resembling.

Something similar to this one i found...shape is very close

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,321568.html
 

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It might be a neck stock clasp.But it would be right much smaller then mine I found.Or any that I see on the UK site.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,281379.msg2014324.html#msg2014324

Here is some more info on book clasp! The highlighted red part might say it all! :wink:
http://www.edenworkshops.com/book_clasps.html


Book Clasps
The use of book clasps appears to be as old as the codex itself. In its earliest form, which was Coptic bindings, the book clasp consisted of a strap attached to the fore edge of the upper cover and wound around the book over the fore edge several times, the bone attached to the end of the strap being tucked between the strap and the lower cover. Another method, which may actually have been used more often than the strap, consisted of the plaited thong with loops which fit over bone pegs at the edge of the lower cover. A book clasp of this type seems to have been used in England at least as early as the 12th century. The strap was fastened to the fore edge of the upper cover, and the end, which had a metal-rimmed hole, was taken around to the middle of the lower cover and was attached to a metal pin.

English book binders of the 14th century began using two straps instead of just one, something which had been done earlier and more often on the Continent of Europe. The hole and pin type was more or less abandoned early in the 14th century and replaced by clasps and catches attached to the fore edge. Initially, each clasp consisted of a strip of leather having a metal hook on one end. Later, the metal part of the clasp was the full thickness of the book and was sometimes attached to the board by means of a metal hinge. In bindings of the 15th and 16th centuries, and probably earlier, the location of the clasp is a reasonably accurate indication of the country of origin. English and French bindings usually had them attached to the upper cover with the catch on the lower, while bindings of the Netherlands and Germany had the catch on the upper cover. Italian binders often attached the clasp to the upper covers and often used as many as four clasps.

The velvet-covered books of the royal collection in England in the 15th and 16th centuries often had ornamental gilt clasps, which were often combined with elaborately ornamented gilt corner pieces and centerpieces which helped prevent abrasion of the velvet.

The use of metal clasps began to decline early in the 16th century, probably because they could not be securely attached to the pasteboards which were replacing boards made of wood. The weight, size, and material of the books being published at that time did not require clasps, and clasps were no longer economically feasible for the normal run of books. In most cases they were replaced by Ties .Clasps made of brass were still used in the 16th century for some books which were bound with boards of wood, and silver clasps and corner pieces were often used on small Bibles and other devotional works as late as the late 17th and early 18th centuries. In certain German bindings, however, e.g., Bibles, clasps were used continuously until the end of the 18th century. This was notably true in America, for example, where almost all German-American bindings, e.g., the Saur Bibles, were issued in calfskin over wood with two heavy claps attached to the lower cover. Brass clasps were revived during the latter part of the 19th century, mainly for Bibles and prayer books, but also for photograph albums, diaries, and the like. They were often attached to metal frames which protected the edges of boards.



:thumbsup:
 

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NHBandit said:
I have to agree with the clasp theory and if that's the case the "tab" is probably supposed to be bent (as you found it) rather than flat.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but I won't risk bending it back. Besides, It is easier to display this way!
 

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Turn it upside down from what the pic shows.
I think its either a drawer pull or a coat hook. Otherwise why would it have holes?
 

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coinshooter said:
Turn it upside down from what the pic shows.
I think its either a drawer pull or a coat hook. Otherwise why would it have holes?
Click to expand...

Too small for those. It is smaller than a dime.
 

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:D
Another here.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...l=en&sa=N&rlz=1T4ATSA_enUS314US314&tbs=isch:1
Neil in West Jersey said:
I found this tiny silver thing today at the site where I found the KGIII, the Draped Bust Half Cent and the Seated Half Dime earlier this week. It was more than 8 inches deep, but I knew immediately it was silver when I saw it. It was bent but I was able to straighten it out a bit. It measures 21mm wide by 22 mm high including the tab that must have fit into a slot. The tab was once straight but I do not want to risk any more stress on the metal.

Any ID is appreciated!
Click to expand...

Too small for those. It is smaller than a dime.

My dimes are 18mm! :icon_scratch: :laughing7: Nickle maybe ???
 

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Lucas said:
Looks like a clasp from a man's pocketbook (wallet). GIII is the right era... :icon_thumright:
Click to expand...


Here's one I dug quite a few years ago.
 

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Sweet! There was another one posted not that long ago, but it got ignored... everyone focussed on the Belgian/German RR button.
 

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Don't know what you ever decided here Neil,but I'm going to dump this off on your post as I think that's why I had it saved.Cleaning up computer some but it's more sites talking about book clasp.And a few more pics.
Take Care,
Pete, :hello:

http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/issue/0306/silver.phtml

http://bookclasp.com/blog/

Decorated brass book clasps found near Jamestown which may have been used on an early Bible or prayer book
 

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I like Lucas's idea , Here's one I have from 1792 .
 

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mojjax said:
I like Lucas's idea , Here's one I have from 1792 .
Click to expand...

Mojjax, I think yours is the closest match I have seen although I can't see the fastener. If it is similar what would hold the tongue in?
 

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