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Old Electrical Component?? Solved: Eyelets from turn button fasteners

AirmetTango

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I’m just curious to see if anyone has any idea what these items are? They certainly aren’t the Indian Head cents I was hoping they were going to be! :lol: I found all three today while hunting a former school site...they were all dug one after the other within about a 15’x15’ area, and each was relatively deep (7-8”). The two smaller ones are virtually identical, with a smooth, finished front that appears to be made of brass (each rung up like brass, and a small scrape with a file on the outer covering revealed a golden color). The clips on the back seem to be holding an oval ring in place that’s made of a different type of metal. The larger one is obviously more damaged, but I’m pretty sure it’s just a slightly bigger version of the other two - it has the remains of a similar ring of metal still attached.

After finding the first one, I was only mildly curious - but by the time I dug out the third, I was dying to know...”What the heck are these things?!?! :lol: Plus they look familiar - I’m pretty sure I’ve dug others like it in the past.

Best I can guess is maybe some sort of electrical component? Any ideas are welcome!

Edit: Just had a brainstorm and checked...they aren’t magnetic in any way
 

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I’m just curious to see if anyone has any idea what these items are? They certainly aren’t the Indian Head cents I was hoping they were going to be! :lol: I found all three today while hunting a former school site...


I found one a few months ago at.......a turn of the century school site. I assumed it was a small photo frame, but never really believed it because the frame was too thick relative to the opening.
 

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Both of you found them at schools... that could be the clue a smart person needs. Now all we need is a smart person, and I can't be of any help there.
 
I found one a few months ago at.......a turn of the century school site. I assumed it was a small photo frame, but never really believed it because the frame was too thick relative to the opening.

Interesting that yours came up at an old school too - as Iggyks said, maybe that’s a clue. Funny, I thought a similar thing when the first one came up...I initially hoped it was some sort of pendant or brooch.

P.S.: Your scale Quarter is much prettier than mine! :lol:

Both of you found them at schools... that could be the clue a smart person needs. Now all we need is a smart person, and I can't be of any help there.

:lol: Someone wearing a hat a few sizes bigger than ours will surely be along any minute! :lol:
 
Half of a clasp, used on leather bags to hold them closed.. The other half had a bar that turned..
 
Half of a clasp, used on leather bags to hold them closed.. The other half had a bar that turned..

That makes sense as afar as the size and the indentations at 3 and 9 o'clock on mine. But what's the point of the frame-like back? I guess the tabs go through leather/fabric, that back on the inside, which would sandwich the fabric/leather.
 
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Curve ball to the school comments, I have found two of these in the middle of the woods on sites that are mixed colonial and civ. :lol:
 
I found one of those in a football field tear out! Same back.

Mine and the OP’s don’t seem to have indentations on the “front”.
 

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Yep, eyelets of canvas or leather. Common for holding the flab closed on bags and pouches.
I also have found a number of these at various locations.
 

I’m just curious to see if anyone has any idea

I found one of those in a football field tear out! Same back.

Exact ID. Thanks! I couldn't seem to get the right combination of search terms after others suggested the clasp ID. AirmetTango and Groundsweeper, be sure to click on it.

It's interesting the seller mentioned canvas bags. Perhaps that exact model was a common hardware device on early-mid century backpacks.
 
Half of a clasp, used on leather bags to hold them closed.. The other half had a bar that turned..


Yup
95ca29b6ac6ba51df39d2ce204d6bc07.jpg


Cliff

Perfect ID! Thanks guys! Excellent link, Bowwinkles...no doubt, that’s exactly what they’re from. And makes perfect sense for how common they seem to be and where they’ve been reported to be found by some of the others who have chimed in. Thanks again!
 
I found a vaguely similar two-piece closure I'd seen used on WWII/1950s era military bags and packs. Ended up finding three more at that spot. They sounded good but after the novelty of the first one became annoying.
 
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