Well David,
My english was learnt in the streets; it's only mediocre because i keep checking it in the dictionary ... or in the web

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It's amazing how different eyes can see distinct things
I don't think that's a nail mark at all; there's no countermark on the other side. What i see there is some kind of punch, like a maker's mark or symbol of some kind. Thatīs precisely the first sympthom that made me think this thing is European

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... Plus the the iron structure, namely the socket; wouldn't African stuff be thinner ?
Fernando