✅ SOLVED Unidentified object!! Member:Eastern Shore Metal has one as well

[dobber97]

EasternShoreMetal and I are curious if any of the members can give us some insight to what we have. He has an excellent pic of his so I am sure when he sees this he will post his. Thanks ahead for any idea I would say Kennedy half dollar in size

 

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[Broken knee]

It looks like a key fob? HH
BK

 

[dobber97]

I saved,edited and cropped easternshoremetal pic of his to see a better pic

 

[SkaBa]

How big is it?

 

[dobber97]

If it was a full circle as big as a half dollar

 

[EasternShoreMetal]

How big is it?

Check me dobber, but I think it's about 2 in. Across. Looks like it has a slot for a rod.. perhaps to make it hinge.. it may be made from pewter.. can post other side Tom. But if I rem. correctly it's pretty nondescript.

 

[EasternShoreMetal]

Not sure about the metal.. May be lighter than that... I have to go home in the morn. And look at it again..

 

[EasternShoreMetal]

Dobber, do u rem. the average ages of the other finds on ur site. ?
I think mine was late 1800s

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Lid to a nutmeg grater?

 

[dobber97]

Mine was also in a site of that age 2 large cents were found there 1848 and 1856, but that nutmeg grinder lid looks close but not quite the same shape , plus these are a little thicker

 

[dobber97]

Well the more I look at it it may be that

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

ink well lid?After thinking that through more the ink would evaporate as it wouldn't seal properly so that eliminates that idea.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Your pieces look cast. I haven't actually found an example of a grater with a cast lid (hence the "?" sfter my suggestion).

I was also looking at old gumball dispensers and some were close. They had a little flapper to keep the gumball from falling out. But no exact matches - yet.

What does the top look like? Just smooth/flat?

 

[dobber97]

It is cast I believe as well, I should have brought it in and I could tell you for sure. If it wasn't 9deg outside and my wood stove didn't feel so good I would go get out of the shop. It is smooth in the center and on back, but has a raised lip all the way around.

 

[dobber97]

Actually that's just dirt on mine making it look cast. Check out easternshoremetal pic

 

[diverrick]

I think that is a cover for a lock, as in suitcases. The older ones sometimes had a dust cover over the opening. You lifted it up to insert the key. More common in chest sized rigs.

 

[EasternShoreMetal]

Your pieces look cast. I haven't actually found an example of a grater with a cast lid (hence the "?" sfter my suggestion).
I was also looking at old gumball dispensers and some were close. They had a little flapper to keep the gumball from falling out. But no exact matches - yet.
What does the top look like? Just smooth/flat?

Hey Charlie; I think it looks exactly like that grater lid.. If not, something very very similar. It may be cast, not sure, no overflow marks. it's fairly thick and the other side is non-descript. no details.
Is that lid just thin tin?

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

The one in the image is, yes. But there are zillions of variations on nutmeg safes and graters. Though the more I look the more it appears tin was in the vast majority.

Another thought was a lid for a match safe - but the vertical desk and wall safes tend to not have any lid at all.

 

[dobber97]

The width is an inch and a half, The overall height is an inch and three eights, The thickness is 1/16 of an inch mine appears to have a green tint like it was copper or brass or plated which is gone .. I am with the answer of inkwell lid like a traveling one

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Dobber and E.S.M were both found in fields or around a house?
If a field I was also thinking a flapper on an old seeder.