Looks like part of a set of door knockers.
(Thank you herr docktor!)
Perhaps some sort of military medal or insignia?
It’s a silver doohickey.
First pic looks like part of a door knocker.
not a match but gives clues
A scarf ring/ornament? We used to wear ornaments like that in the fifties. The ornament holds the two ends of the scarf together something like a bolo tie that men used to wear around their necks. The ornaments could be slid up or down depending on where one wanted the ornament to ride.
Are you sure it’s silver. It should have been almost black unless you polished it.
The Nawab had never been defeated in battle, and throughout Bengal his military prowess was attributed to a golden clasp used by the Nawab to secure his turban, in the shape of a roaring lion.
The British force was led by Col. Robert Clive, later the 1st Baronet Clive of Plassey, who sent a secret communication to Mir Jafar, a top commander of the Nawab's troops. Clive promised Mir Jafar the nawabship for himself if only he would abandon the Nawab and the French and come over to the British side, to which Mir Jafar agreed.
On June 23, 1757, the two armies met at Plassey. The skies were covered with dark clouds and a heavy rain fell.
During a pause in the rain, Clive ordered an attack. Mir Jafar's troops left the field, and the Nawab's remaining troops became disheartened, and strove to see the person of the Nawab, believing that if a fighter would only see a glint of the golden turban clasp of the Nawab, that he would become invincible. Alas, the heavy cloud cover obscured the sun's rays and the bright gold could not be seen by the Nawab's troops, who went on to defeat.
After the battle, Mir Jafar plucked the golden clasp from the turban of the defeated Nawab and presented it to Clive, designating him the "Lord of Bengal."
Mir Jafar presenting the Golden Clasp of Bengal to Lord Clive
To conceal the true value of the object, Lord Clive had the golden turban clasp covered uniformly with a very thin veneer of tin. Nevertheless, on his return to England, his ship was overtaken by pirates, who ransacked it of everything of value and set the passengers and crew adrift in a rowboat. They were later spotted by a passing ship and saved.
However, the Golden Clasp of Bengal was never to be seen again.
heh... I was expecting a pic of Helen Thomas.
I forwarded your photos to my mom (the little-known inspiration for the Antiques Roadshow), and she said that she doesn’t know. However, she did point out something curious about the lion’s mouth. Her opinion is that it was designed that way for a purpose, maybe to hold something. More than that, she can’t guess.
What is it?
Ping.
I will go for the drapery ointment thingy. You put the strapie thingy through the those thingys on the back to hold the swag part together. What every it is, it is categorically of a thingy type.
My guess is it’s a Sikh candle holder on top. And, bottom, is an escutcheon.
Forgot to add that the bottom item is on it’s side. The top is facing left in this photo.
It looks like a bolo - Why I think it is one is the bottom metal loops where on it at one time but it looks like they have broken.
It looks to be made of sterling silver and it is not truly just a lion but cross between a lion and possibly a dragon.
In all seriousness, I've seen some ornamentation on old furniture that was similar, but not exact.
Broche, or whatever you call them. Pin thing is missing.
Whatever you do, “don’t put your lips on that thing kid!”
it could be a scarf bolo (scarf slide)