Silver Pick or Needle or ???

[winslow]

Found these interesting items yesterday.

Gold rush era buckle and old bullet. Maybe someone wanted the powder out of that shell for something. That would be a bit of a dangerous endeavor!

My question is what could that silvery thing be. Seems too delicate to be a horse hoof cleaning pick. Too impractical for jewelry. Needle for leather or saddles? I'm stumped! It's about 3 1/2 inches long. No identifying marks. I'm assuming it's from the 1850's - 1860's.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Tpmetal]

Found these interesting items yesterday.

Gold rush era buckle and old bullet. Maybe someone wanted the powder out of that shell for something. That would be a bit of a dangerous endeavor!

My question is what could that silvery thing be. Seems too delicate to be a horse hoof cleaning pick. Too impractical for jewelry. Needle for leather or saddles? I'm stumped! It's about 3 1/2 inches long. No identifying marks. I'm assuming it's from the 1850's - 1860's.

maybe a hat pin or hair pin? the rings on it throw me off though so I'm not really sure at all.

 

[releventchair]

Could be a fancy vent pick for a flintlock...

 

[Plumbata]

Great find, I believe you discovered a silver toothpick! It appears as though it was part of a delicate set of silver toiletry tools, so there is probably a silver fingernail cleaner, tweezers, or other similar items lost in the vicinity of where the pick was found. Hopefully you will go back soon and see if more pieces are in the area!

 

[pistol-pete]

Looks like the shell could be a 56-56 Spencer. Without measurements that is my best guess

 

[Reanm8er]

Sometimes black powder was used to cauterize a severe wound. If the crimp was too tight to remove the bullet one might bore a hole in the side of a cartridge case to get the powder out. If someone you care about is bleeding to death you wouldn't even hesitate.

 

[cudamark]

Stick pin. Sometimes they came in pairs that were chained together, or singly with a safety chain and clip.

 

[Tony in SC]

I also think silver tooth pick. They were the IN thing during the Victorian Period.

Great find, I believe you discovered a silver toothpick! It appears as though it was part of a delicate set of silver toiletry tools, so there is probably a silver fingernail cleaner, tweezers, or other similar items lost in the vicinity of where the pick was found. Hopefully you will go back soon and see if more pieces are in the area!

 

[A2coins]

amazing stuff thats one heck of a tooth pick lol

 

[ToddsPoint]

The shell could be a pinfire round that burned out at the pin. Gary

 

[Red James Cash]

Pinfire cartridges were generally rimless though.Looks like a .41.

 

[HuntinDog]

Your silver "pick" is likely part of a Chatelaine missing the ear spoon and tweezers.
Similar to these....