🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Shoulder Scale perhaps?

[Alan Payne]

Hello everyone, It’s been awhile since I posted. I have an item I found a bit ago and I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out what it is.
It kinda looks like some shoulder scales, but different and a bit smaller. Any ideas? Thanks for looking

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Clay Diggins]

It's a Canadian penny.

The object next to the penny looks interesting. Can you tell us more? What's it made of, did you clean it, can we see the other side?

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

It's a Canadian penny.

The object next to the penny looks interesting. Can you tell us more? What's it made of, did you clean it, can we see the other side?

You beat me with your I.D. Clay.
These pennies are extremely collectible too... not!

As already mentioned Alan, if we could get the actual dimensions and a pic of the top, this might help.
Dave

 

[Alan Payne]

Hello everyone, It’s been awhile since I posted. I have an item I found a bit ago and I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out what it is.
It kinda looks like some shoulder scales, but different and a bit smaller. Any ideas? Thanks for lookingView attachment 2059994View attachment 2059520View attachment 2059992View attachment 2059993View attachment 2059994View attachment 2059995View attachment 2059996View attachment 2059998View attachment 2059999

I have attached more photos, hope they are of good quality. Does any of these photos conjure up any Ideas of what this item may be?
Again, Thanks to anyone who replied and took an interest in trying to help me figure this out.
All replies are appreciated.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I'm truly surprised your post hasn't had more interest Alan, because I'm curious to know what you found. You didn't mention where you recovered this piece, but if you found it in Florida that would be amazing.

I did some online research and found something similar to compare your find to.

U.S. Civil War Enlisted Man’s Brass Shoulder Scales
This is a pair of Civil War Shoulder Scales with mounting implements. Light artillery, cavalry troops, and some Non-Commissioned Officers, musicians and privates of infantry units went to the front decorated with brass scales on their shoulders. Shoulder scales were originally designed to be a form of body armour. The idea was that if a soldier wearing these was struck down by a swordsman, the blow would be diminished by the protecting scales. However, by the American Civil War these scales were worn by Enlisted and NCO's as part of their dress uniform and not for protection.

Made of brass, there are six scales attached to a pan, held together with a thin iron sheet, a brass strip soldered to the pan, and attached to the bottom with a thumb turn, would fit under a brass clip sewed onto the jacket. Construction is fragile and most are found broken.

 

[creskol]

I think your relic is a plate cover off of an old trunk lock.

 

[creskol]

Here is what I am talking about. First pic is of the type of lock with plate cover I am talking about. The second pic, which is definitely not to scale, is a mockup of your item superimposed on the lock just to give you an idea. Those plates often had the owner's name engraved on them.

 

[Alan Payne]

Here is what I am talking about. First pic is of the type of lock with plate cover I am talking about. The second pic, which is definitely not to scale, is a mockup of your item superimposed on the lock just to give you an idea. Those plates often had the owner's name engraved on them.View attachment 2060352

View attachment 2060354

Creskol, I think you might be on to something. It certainly looks like it could be that. Thank you for your knowledge and interest.

 

[creskol]

Creskol, I think you might be on to something. It certainly looks like it could be that. Thank you for your knowledge and interest.

You are welcome, Alan. It's good to see you posting again.

 

[Alan Payne]

I have attached more photos, hope they are of good quality. Does any of these photos conjure up any Ideas of what this item may be?
Again, Thanks to anyone who replied and took an interest in trying to help me figure this out.
All replies are appreciated.

Antiquarian I did find it in Florida, but honestly I can’t remember exactly where. It has been a while, finally got around to posting. I have found CIVIL WAR stuff here in Florida. Palatka Florida to be exact.

 

[Retired Sarge]

For future reference this is what a typical shoulder scale looks like. I saved the images from an auction site (I believe) for my future reference.