I agree, Jillian.  Kathleen Deagan's book on Artifacts of the Spanish
Colonies, volume 2, also shows this mechanism.
Martha

On Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 3:44 PM, Jillian Galle <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Hi Matt,
>
> It looks like you have an umbrella runner (the stretchers fit into the
> notches and the runner slides up and down the umbrella stick to open and
> close the umbrella).
>
> There is a nice blog post written by Jenn Ogborne on Poplar Forest's
> website that discusses umbrellas and has a great image of a runner.
> (http://poplarforestarchaeology.com/2013/05/14/442/)
>
> Best,
>
> Jillian
>
> Jillian Galle
> Project Director, The Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery
> Monticello
> P.O. Box 316
> Charlottesville, VA 22902
> 434-984-9873
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cross, Matthew [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2015 3:32 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Unknown Gear
>
> HistArch:
>
> Does anybody recognize this? Maybe a gear? It appears to be lacquered
> brass. It was found in a western Illinois house cellar in a ca. 1840-1870
> occupation context.
>
> http://s1153.photobucket.com/user/mecross/media/P1080329_zps890b689a.jpg.html
>
> http://s1153.photobucket.com/user/mecross/media/P1080331_zpsfba96384.jpg.html
>
> Thanks.
>
> -Matt
> ______________________________________________
>
> Matthew E. Cross
> Archaeological Assistant - Historic Section
>
> Illinois State Archaeological Survey
> Prairie Research Institute
> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
> 209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
> 23 East Stadium Drive
> Champaign, IL 61820
>
> 217.300.3060
> [log in to unmask]
>