Is the Fuse a Schenkl Conbination?

[Pete George]

John, I know you're not the kind of person who would post a "booby-trap."  That's why I publicly dismissed any such idea at the very beginning of my post.

Answering your latest question:
  I've never seen any historical-document evidence that Sawyer fuzes were ever used in Schenkl shells. I think it is unlikely that any will ever come to light, because those fuzes and fuzeholes are not compatible without very special modification of one or the other.

Regards,
Pete

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

I guess we will have to put this one on the back burner unless we can hear more from ACW Bullets.
Regards,
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Put a little more dirt on this one, take a our of focus photo and wala:
John

[misipirelichtr]

Mr. Bartleston, my reasons for doubting it as a Sawyer - no reeded edge, flatter appearance, and center is wrong for a Sawyer.  It may well be a fuse, but not a Sawyer.

BTW, your artwork showing shells and fuses is superb.  I've learned much fro you sharing them. 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Thank you kindly, and it is John or Bart, not Mr.
You are probably correct in your reasons.   At least this one has people thinking and responding.  Thanks for your contribution, time may tell.
Regards,
John,

[joevann]

John?  Why don't you call the guy who dug it up?  Here is address and phone number:  http://indiana-white-pages.virtualyp.com/McKinney-Jerry-1650616.html

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Joe,
  Thanks for your effort.  I just now (6:30) got off the phone with Jerry.
He will try and get off some clear images for us.   the size in the photo is miss-leading as it will fit inside a 35mm film can.
   Its top appears to be pewter or pot metal and below the thread is iron or steel.  He also says it has a couple of vertical tubes protruding through the top.
    So from his description it does not appear to be a fuze.  The shell was found in either W. VA or VA, that part was not clear to me.
I will post the images as they arrive.  Thanks everyone.
Regards,
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Thanks to Jeremy I believe the mystery object  being a fuze has been solved.
I don't know what it is but it is not a fuze.
Cheers,
John
P.S. I have asked for a cleaned up shot.

[Pete George]

  The new photo (thanks for your efforts, John) enables me to recognize the object for what it actually is.  Misipirelichtr was correct, the object is a "wick holder for an early lamp." (That's a quote from his post in this discussion.)  Specifically, it is a dual-wick holder, from a type of whale-oil lamp invented by Benjamin Franklin.  See the images below. The brass "dual plug wick" lamp in the photo is from the 1850s, which matches up with the time-frame of the Schenkl shell that the "fuze" was found next to.

Edit note: I modified this post only to correct my mis-typing of Misipirelichtr's name.

Regards,
Pete

[Dave the plumber]

 so do we call this the Benjamin Schenkl Franklin whale fuze ??!!

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Hey this is great.  Thank you Pete and all for the I.D.  I have thanked Jeremy for the photo that helped I.D. this item.
Regards,
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

My apologies to misipirelichtr for totally disregarding his early I.D. I guess I was locked onto making it a fuze.  May I ask what life experience helped you for the quick I.D.?
Cheers,
John

[emike123]

I think I have the answer to his immediate recognition of that fuse as a lamp wick in this old picture of a young Missisipirelichtr playing in the streets of downtown Hattiesburg:

[joevann]

Good job, all!  Make sure you notify the finder, John!

[misipirelichtr]

John, I've recovered a bunch of early lamp parts over the years from CW period camps and housesites, including several wick holders that closely resembled the relic in the initial photo.  In all honesty, I've not done the research necessary to pinpoint the identification of this type to the specific lamp.  Mr. George, thanks for the detailed followup - once again, I've learned from reading your posts.