🔎 UNIDENTIFIED What is it?

[tinner]

I found this at a local park about 6" deep with my metal detector. I'm not sure what it is but does appear to maybe open on one end. Any ideas?
Thanks!!

 

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[Beeps in my sleep]

match safe , pill holder?

 

[CreakyDigger]

match safe , pill holder?

Good guesses!

 

[traveller777]

I am fairly certain a pill holder. Too tight for the old safety matches. Inside only maybe a quarter of an inch.
Yours much better shape than mine. I found mine at an old home site that saw habitation from early 1800s till mid nineteen hundreds, and lots of Civil War activity. The little nob is to hook finger nail to open.

 

[traveller777]

I suppose you could have got one match in it. Push it for two matches. But possible.

 

[tinner]

I am fairly certain a pill holder. Too tight for the old safety matches. Inside only maybe a quarter of an inch.
Yours much better shape than mine. I found mine at an old home site that saw habitation from early 1800s till mid nineteen hundreds, and lots of Civil War activity. The little nob is to hook finger nail to open.

Thanks, that makes sense. I'm a little afraid to try and open it, I would probably destroy it. The area I found it in, although is a city park, apears to have been an old dump site at some point. I have found lots of old cans, broken canning jars etc... things you would expect to find at a landfill.

 

[traveller777]

Thanks, that makes sense. I'm a little afraid to try and open it, I would probably destroy it. The area I found it in, although is a city park, apears to have been an old dump site at some point. I have found lots of old cans, broken canning jars etc... things you would expect to find at a landfill.

It is very thin and will break easily. You might try soaking in something like gentle soap and VERY gently try to push open. Advise? Not sure I would try it for it could get ruined. It is a nice find like it is. Good job. If you do try to open, and I am not recommending that, let us know how it goes.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[pepperj]

Saw one years ago posted up. Thought the consensus was that they were for Nitro pills.

 

[traveller777]

Saw one years ago posted up. Thought the consensus was that they were for Nitro pills.

I wanted to say nitro pills but left at pills. Perfect size for nitro. I guess your viagra pill tube is much larger, pepper.

 

[pepperj]

I wanted to say nitro pills nut left at pills. Perfect size for nitro. I guess your viagra pill tube is much larger, pepper.

I'm sorry to hear that your nut left, Traveller.

 

[traveller777]

I'm sorry to hear that your nut left, Traveller.

I hate frigging spell check. I need to turn it off. Watching a documentary so not checking close enough. Which is normal for me.

 

[pepperj]

I hate frigging spell check. I need to turn it off. Watching a documentary so not checking close enough. Which is normal for me.

Well if you don't find Crash will lend you some blues.

 

[traveller777]

Well if you don't find Crash will lend you some blues.

Crash is a good friend, but treasures his blues.

 

[ModernMiner]

Lipstick case?

 

[traveller777]

Lipstick case?

Too small. I found two lipstick cases. This is for pills, nitro pills. Good guess though.

 

[ModernMiner]

Too small. I found two lipstick cases. This is for pills, nitro pills. Good guess though.

There were smaller versions of the lipsticks that fit into the old compacts w/mirror too. Let me check tomorrow. I may have a few samples. I love a good mystery.

 

[ModernMiner]

OK, here is what I have after a bit of searching under "antique" on google.
Nitro pill cases I saw have a loop connected to the top so you can wear it around your neck.
The aspirin cases I saw had screw on type lids I'm guessing to keep moisture out.
The match holders had a different type mechanism to hold the lid in place.
The lipstick holders came in a variety of sizes and had a similar latch like yours has. The ones that fit into a compact were smaller like the one I am holding in my hand. It doesnt even measure 2".

I'm hoping I'm wrong and it's something else, but that's what I have.
If I look through my relics I may have one, but no time right now. I know they are fragile and will fall apart easily as mentioned above.
Happy hunting!

 

[GoldieLocks]

Aren't matches longer than two inches?

Is it metal? Possibly part of an early model bicycle?

 

[tinner]

OK, here is what I have after a bit of searching under "antique" on google.
Nitro pill cases I saw have a loop connected to the top so you can wear it around your neck.
The aspirin cases I saw had screw on type lids I'm guessing to keep moisture out.
The match holders had a different type mechanism to hold the lid in place.
The lipstick holders came in a variety of sizes and had a similar latch like yours has. The ones that fit into a compact were smaller like the one I am holding in my hand. It doesnt even measure 2".

I'm hoping I'm wrong and it's something else, but that's what I have.
If I look through my relics I may have one, but no time right now. I know they are fragile and will fall apart easily as mentioned above.
Happy hunting!

Thanks for the research Modernminer. It measures about 5/16" in diameter, I'm not sure that would be big enough for a lipstick holder and how would lipstick be dispensed? It's to small for an aspirin container. Not very many matches would fit and even then you would have to break them in half. I'm still debating on how I can get it open without destroying it, to see what's inside, any suggestionsf?

 

[tinner]

Aren't matches longer than two inches?

Is it metal? Possibly part of an early model bicycle?

I don't think it's a part for something. It is a container with a thumbnail nob to open the cap.
It is made of a non-ferrous metal. It rang up at about 13 on my Equinox800 metal detector. That is where a US nickel would register. So maybe copper or nickel although copper rings in at around 24, so maybe a combination of things.