This looks like a ruptured duck, but it's a lot older

Is this a service discharge lapel button, and if so from which war? It's so beat it wouldn't surprise me if it were from the Civil War instead of WWII. It says White Lead Cincinatti, and then F M Noble Chicago on the bottom. I think. The N is backward and the back of the piece is so bent in it's hard to see. It looks less like lead than copper, but that could be plating.

 

A ruptured duck is coming out of something

I think it's just a cufflink

 

I'm not smelling cuff link on it, although I suppose if all of the gold plating was worn away completely or it was dug it would be a possibility.

 

Lapel button. Would fit in that button hole usually found on the left side of a jacket lapel.
At least, that is my opinion.

 

agree with maybe lapel pin; did find a very similar eagle on a fob for Eagle White Lead Co.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-EAG...979?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20f4ecf74b

 

Good find, TallCakes!

 

Did find reference to Eagle White Lead. According to the following, it seems it was a brand name first used by the E. & S. J. Conkling Company (manufacturer of pigments for commercial paints) in 1842. The name was used until 1916:

"In 1916, the Picher Lead Company of Missouri merged with the Eagle White Lead to form Eagle-Picher Lead."

This is from the less then spectacular website Wikipi... It seems controversial to first refer to it as a brand name then word in as a company name. Anyways I suspect the year of 1916 for the latest date may be accurate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle-Picher#History

The following webpage on the history of the Eagle-Picher Industries in the section "Company Antecedents" says:

"The earliest predecessor of Eagle-Picher was established as a partnership in Cincinnati in 1842. Two brothers, Edgar and Stephen Conkling, set up a small operation to produce white lead, a by-product of corrosion that was especially useful as a durable paint when mixed with linseed oil. In 1847, the Conkling brothers went into partnership with William Wood, ... Wood moved the company to a new location in 1858 and changed the name of the firm to the Eagle White Lead Works....

"Late in 1913 a Picher drill rig became stuck in five feet of mud while being shipped during a thunderstorm. Picher suggested drilling in place before ordering the rig dismantled. To everyone's surprise, the chance drilling yielded an extremely rich lead-zinc ore concentrate that led to 20 more strikes by 1915 and the establishment of a huge zinc smelter at Henryetta, Oklahoma. The following year, Eagle and Picher formally merged into a single company...."

This seems to insinuate that Eagle White Lead Works was the name change in 1858 and lasted until 1916 when Eagle and Picher merged.
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/eagle-picher-industries-inc-history/

Seems the F.M. Noble company of Chicago was making pins, etc... in the 1920s. I can's find info on when the company was founded.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-F-M-Noble-Chicago-1929-Camp-Clerks-Medallion-medal-pendant-ornate-metal-/121507028204?nma=true&si=XWIorDG1HuWd797iI2KuwOVwTKk%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/de-molay-masonic-pin-lapel-pearl-10k-150353742

The 2nd Lord Kitchener watch fob. Note the first/top one doesn't mention FM Noble, but speculates early 1900s.
http://www.marway-militaria.com/shop.php

--- Susan

 

I do believe we've got it! Salesman's lapel button. And thankfully not made of lead.

 

Just in case - don't lick it.

 

Not planning on it - not enough fat content in this duck to make it worth the effort.