✅ SOLVED Possible jewelry piece?

[Tommy G]

Found this small, ornate brass piece that forms a semi-circle at the top. At first, I thought it was broken, but when you look closely there are two small, sharp points at the end of each of the prongs. I think this held a bezel ring or other circular piece which allowed it to spin or rotate within the prongs. It may have actually hung upside down from how it's depicted, perhaps with a chain going through the small hole. Put a wheat inside the semi-circle that I found on the same hunt to show sizing. This came from an 18th century home site which is still active today. Any help on an ID would be appreciated.

 

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[BagLady]

Looks like a drawer handle (pull). It would have had a piece of wood or something in the hole to grab hold of to pull the drawer open. Nice piece.

 

[Bruce R]

I believe what you have there is the handle of a monocle that a lady would wear on a chain.

 

[Tommy G]

Looks like a drawer handle (pull). It would have had a piece of wood or something in the hole to grab hold of to pull the drawer open. Nice piece.

Hmmm...hadn't thought of that because it is so small. But come to think of it, my wife has a small jewelry chest with tiny drawers (and pulls). You may be on to something. Thanks for the comment.

 

[Tommy G]

I believe what you have there is the handle of a monocle that a lady would wear on a chain.

Another good possibility. I'll see if I can find something similar on the web - thanks, Bruce.

 

[Tommy G]

UPDATE: This one of several finds that I posted under "Today's Finds" forum. Crusader commented that this may be a "rotating seal matrix". Frankly, I had never heard of that, but when I googled it, I found several examples that actually depict what I had visualized. Of course, mine would be much older and made of brass, not gold.

 

[nhbenz]

Like this one: https://draytonhall.wordpress.com/2011/08/

 

[Tommy G]

Like this one: https://draytonhall.wordpress.com/2011/08/

Thanks again, nhbenz. I saw your reply under Today's Finds. The photo matches mine almost exactly! Can't thank you enough. Marking this SOLVED!

 

[BagLady]

Thanks again, nhbenz. I saw your reply under Today's Finds. The photo matches mine almost exactly! Can't thank you enough. Marking this SOLVED!

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Aha! That's much cooler than a drawer pull!