This message has been posted to both HISTARCH and ARTIFACT. Apologies for
any duplicates people may receive.
 
Recently, on a field school excavation in Ontario, students recovered a
small heart-shaped piece of iron that had two triangular points or
"clips", one on each side.
 
Similar items have been recovered in late-19th century and early-20th
century contexts in excavations at Dundurn Castle, Hamilton, Ontario.
When I inquired with the artifact analyst for the Dundurn assemblage, I
was presented with a bit of a puzzle.
 
Several varieties of these "clips" had been recovered at Dundurn: heart
shaped with a small heart cut-out in the centre, circular, and floral. I
have also encountered a "scroll" shaped one from a late-19th - early 20th
century context in Mississauga, Ontario which was embossed: O.B. PACE).
The piece recovered on the recent dig is heart shaped only (there is no
cut-out in the centre). Initially, the items from Dundurn had been
identified as badges, or pins, or some sort of commemorative token given
out when, at the turn of the century, the Dundurn Castle property became
a public park.
 
At a recent conference that the artifact analyst attended, these bits
were referred to as "tobacco markers". Apparently, a block of tobacco
(uncertain whether it was smoking or chewing tobacco) was wrapped in
paper, and then tied with ribbon. The sharp "clips" or tines of the
tobacco tokens would then stick into the ribbon, securing them onto the
package. The shape of the marker indicated the tobacco manufacturer: the
heart shaped marker signified MacDonald tobacco (who now make
Export).
 
Now, here's the kicker. The presenter had no source for the above
information.
 
Does anyone on the list have information regarding the use of these
"clips", either as tobacco markers or otherwise? Oral histories,
published sources... anything???
 
Cheers,
Megan Springate
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