Karen:
Have you considered that it may be an individual cigar holder. I have 
seen several of these (cigar holders) in high quality cigar stores. 
Just a wild guess!

How does it look cleaned up or is it?

DP


At 10:17 PM 2/24/2008, you wrote:
>Hi all
>
>
>
>During excavations at a late-19th century timber mill settlement on Lake
>Cootharaba, in southeast Queensland, Australia, an interesting metal
>artefact was found.  It is a cylindrical item around 6cm long, with what
>appears to be a knob that twisted around the barrel of the item, possibly
>extending and retracting an interior piece.  An image of the item is
>available at http://www.atsis.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=78055
><http://www.atsis.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=78055&pid=42037> &pid=42037
>
>
>
>We have come up with a few suggestions and ideas here, but would appreciate
>any more concrete information and identification of such an item.  And
>whether people have come across something similar in their work? Or any
>other ideas?
>
>
>
>Your help is appreciated.
>
>
>
>Cheers
>
>Karen
>
>
>
>----
>
>Karen Murphy
>
>School of Social Science
>
>(Anthropology, Archaeology, Criminology, Sociology)
>
>University of Queensland
>
>Brisbane  QLD  4072
>
>Australia
>
>
>
>Ph: +61 7 3346 9551
>
>M: 0401 644 678
>
>Email: [log in to unmask]
>
>Visit the Mill <http://www.atsis.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=42037&pid=41684>
>Point Archaeological Project website
>
>
>
>Queensland State Representative
>
>Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology
>
>Email: [log in to unmask]
>
>