Question For You East Coast Colonial Buffs , Re.: Target ID :

[Tom_in_CA]

A buddy of mine, here in CA, found this ring at a defunct old picnic site in the Sierra foothills.   The date range of usage there is estimated to be 1860s or '70s at the earliest, to 1910s at the latest.   

 

He found this ring there over this last weekend.   Composition appears to be silver (although it's not marked/stamped).   And the motif of the eagle on the front is eerily familiar.  I've seen it somewhere.   Anyone recognize this ?   Seems that it's on some sort of colonial button, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Anyone know ?    Thanx !

[Doc Bach]

No help here on the eagle Tom but dang that is a beautiful find.

[Gold Seeker]

Awesome ring.

The eagle doesn't look exactly like any eagle button eagles I have seen, that were in use before, during or after the Civil War.

 

[JCR]

That is an elaborate ring. A very special find.  Any clues on the side panels?  Strange that it would not have any maker’s markings. It is obviously a quality piece.

[Fredneck]

Wow nice !! The lack of the olive branch and arrows, which was designed late 1700's, and predominate on most eagle buttons and Insignia, leans me to the thought that ring might be diplomatic. It sure has the cool factor, and that old look.

[Elbert]

Tom, I think it might be Civil War era. You might have seen the eagle on a Union Civil War Breast Plate. The breast plate has the same eagle look and is facing the same direction of that on the ring. It's looking to its left. Most are looking to their right. Maybe more clarity of the sides of the ring would help identification.

[MD4V.org]

I found an 1825 example here: https://archive.org/details/TheEagleAndTheShield/page/n221/mode/2up 

[F350Platinum]

Very nice ring Tom,

It's not a "heraldic" eagle as there is no olive branch or clutch of arrows. I would say it's not military. It looks like a one-off custom cast, are there any hallmarks or makers marks inside? Side view would help. 

I searched the heck out of this one and sadly found nothing. 

[Tom_in_CA]

11 hours ago, Elbert said:

Tom, I think it might be Civil War era. You might have seen the eagle on a Union Civil War Breast Plate. The breast plate has the same eagle look and is facing the same direction of that on the ring. It's looking to its left. Most are looking to their right. Maybe more clarity of the sides of the ring would help identification.

 

El, good to hear from you !   I just now found what I *thought* was the motif eagle.   It's on what some east coast guys have found.   The "GW button" (George Washington button) .   But as you can see here, it's not an exact match.   Doh !

[Tom_in_CA]

8 minutes ago, F350Platinum said:

Very nice ring Tom,

It's not a "heraldic" eagle as there is no olive branch or clutch of arrows. I would say it's not military. It looks like a one-off custom cast, are there any hallmarks or makers marks inside? Side view would help. 

I searched the heck out of this one and sadly found nothing. 

Thanx for taking a stab at it anyhow F350-plat !   But as it turns out, I found what I *thought* was the design.  Ie.: Where I thought I'd seen it before.   I think that I was thinking of this button the east coast guys have some times found :  "George Washington Button".   But as you see from this pix lifted off of google images, the eagle / motif isn't exactly the same.