Victorian Sword Handle? Beer Tap? Masonic?

[cambria09]

Hello All. I found this yesterday at an old Indian River front home. My son says sword handle, my wife says sword handle, I say beer tap handle. Wadd'ya think, am I out voted or is it something completely different?

Whatever it is I know it's brass, heavy, ornate, and will definitely go in the coolection.

Thanks for any info and good luck this weekend. C9

 

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[coinman123]

Wow, it looks to be a sword hand guard, and yes it looks to be secret society related, my guess is Knights of Columbus




Amazing find!!

 

[Red James Cash]

Not a handle but a hand guard.

 

[CRUSADER]

Not a handle but a hand guard.

Yes, crossguard or quillion.

 

[MadPoetLaw]

It is most definitely a crossguard from a sword. Judging by it's size in relation to that quarter I'd say it's ceremonial sword. Two fraternal societies immediately spring to mind, both are keenly into ceremonial swords: Freemasons and Knights of Pythias. Both also have a triangle as a prominent symbol.

I am guessing it's Masonic. What convinces me are the two obvious pillars on the sides with the arch above. If the arch is presumed to be "up" (towards the blade) then the triangle is upright. This kind of rules out KoP because their triangle is inverted. As for the symbol on the back I'm not too sure. It could be a crude /worn version of the all seeing eye typically illustrated inside of the triangle or it could also be a temple entrance which is also commonly illustrated with the pillars. This would make sense considering what appears to be steps below it.

Still a cool find.
P.S. One can only guess how just this part of the sword got where it did in order for you to find it and i assume you did not find the blade with it.If the whole thing is there in the ground (in pieces) It might be worth returning to that spot and trying to detect with no discrimination. The blade would have been steel. One more piece worth looking for would be the pommel cap. It would be a heavy and ornate brass piece roughly the size of that quarter that went on the butt end of the handle.

 

[cambria09]

It is most definitely a crossguard from a sword. Judging by it's size in relation to that quarter I'd say it's ceremonial sword. Two fraternal societies immediately spring to mind, both are keenly into ceremonial swords: Freemasons and Knights of Pythias. Both also have a triangle as a prominent symbol.

I am guessing it's Masonic. What convinces me are the two obvious pillars on the sides with the arch above. If the arch is presumed to be "up" (towards the blade) then the triangle is upright. This kind of rules out KoP because their triangle is inverted. As for the symbol on the back I'm not too sure. It could be a crude /worn version of the all seeing eye typically illustrated inside of the triangle or it could also be a temple entrance which is also commonly illustrated with the pillars. This would make sense considering what appears to be steps below it.

Still a cool find.
P.S. One can only guess how just this part of the sword got where it did in order for you to find it and i assume you did not find the blade with it.If the whole thing is there in the ground (in pieces) It might be worth returning to that spot and trying to detect with no discrimination. The blade would have been steel. One more piece worth looking for would be the pommel cap. It would be a heavy and ornate brass piece roughly the size of that quarter that went on the butt end of the handle.

Hello MPL. Been out of town and just now catching up on things. Thanks very much for the reply and info on this item.

I found it some distance from the house in the back yard fairly shallow, in what seemed like a trash dump area. After much searching I couldn't find any more of it.

This is a strange site because the existing house is 1940's vintage but I have found several items from a much earlier era including an 1828 large cent, a brass candle stick holder, 1900's tokens, and 1890's shot shell head stamps. Also found some odd stuff from the 1940's like 50-Caliber and 20-MM ammo brass...go figure...'ya just never know till 'ya turn some dirt.

Good luck. C9