Brass handle with tapered square end

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Dug this in an old fairgrounds today. Its brass, with a loop handle that fits about 3 fingers, and the other end has a tapered square end, very similar to the old auger bits that go in a bracing bit hand drill.
Not sure if the loop is for a handle, or rein guide, or ??
 

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A rein guide would typically have a threaded section at the bottom. So I would discount that. It may have been used to chamfer drill holes so a wood screw head would seat flush with the surface? Just a guess though.
 
Agree with the above on not being a guide. Seems to be absent of an actual attachment to mount to something. My first thought was some kind of punch or tap.
 
Not sure, but I would bet that its a security handle for some stall, gate or door, to keep unauthorized persons from entering or getting into an area of the fairgrounds. It would be inserted into a square hole where a doorknob would typically be in order to open it, and taken with the person when he/she left the area. Latch hold might not be tapered, but square and handle would need to be fully inserted up to the square to engage the latch.
Could be a feed area, tack area or some other location there.

If you examine a 19th century door handle you will note that the actual knob configuration goes through the latch with the two knobs connected by a square shaft. It would be simple to convert one of those to use this tool shown. The tool appears to be hand made.
 
Thanks for the comments and ideas.

A rein guide would typically have a threaded section at the bottom. So I would discount that. It may have been used to chamfer drill holes so a wood screw head would seat flush with the surface? Just a guess though.
Good guess, I guess. It might be something like that if the tapered end was to have something else mounted on it, but not as it is.

Agree with the above on not being a guide. Seems to be absent of an actual attachment to mount to something. My first thought was some kind of punch or tap.
I'm thinking along those lines too, but ??

Not sure, but I would bet that its a security handle for some stall, gate or door, to keep unauthorized persons from entering or getting into an area of the fairgrounds. It would be inserted into a square hole where a doorknob would typically be in order to open it, and taken with the person when he/she left the area. Latch hold might not be tapered, but square and handle would need to be fully inserted up to the square to engage the latch.
Could be a feed area, tack area or some other location there.

If you examine a 19th century door handle you will note that the actual knob configuration goes through the latch with the two knobs connected by a square shaft. It would be simple to convert one of those to use this tool shown. The tool appears to be hand made.
Interesting theory. I can see it being a turnkey that is meant to be removed after using, but not especially for a gate or door that would require a pulling force to open. Tapered end would not be good for that. Maybe a water shutoff turnkey? Anyway, it does not look homemade. It has some rough spots where it is chipped/damaged. Looks like the square taper end was originally smooth-sided.
Thanks again.
 
Interesting theory. I can see it being a turnkey that is meant to be removed after using, but not especially for a gate or door that would require a pulling force to open. Tapered end would not be good for that. Maybe a water shutoff turnkey? Anyway, it does not look homemade. It has some rough spots where it is chipped/damaged. Looks like the square taper end was originally smooth-sided.
Thanks again.

I can see that the door or gate had a handle to pull on. Whereas that 'key' was just to unlatch the door/gate.
 
Closest thing I can find is the brass T-handle square taper shutoff tool in the upper right of this lot photo. Don't know what this was for either though.
 

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It looks like a universal "key" or wrench to fit different sized square holed things or so it will be easy to remove. ??
 
Ebone has something very close, T handled. It's a broken pipe nipple remover.
 
Solved

Some unrelated Googling this morning produced an image of this item that I never did get a solid ID for.
Feels good to solve an old mystery; even if it is by accident!
It turns out that this item is a "P" shaped churchkey that came with VW busses from the 1950s to 1966. It was used to open the engine hood and fuel door, and was stored in a little holder mounted in the cab. Here is a photo of one with it's holder:
 

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