12-02-2018, 08:20 PM
I found this about two months ago and it was kicking around in my questionable finds "Coffee Mate jug" since. It was such a nice day today that after I went out to lunch with the wife I decided to clean out the car. I was futzing around deciding what to toss and what to keep and came across this. It looked a lot worse than the photos as it was all covered with mud and had numerous roots going through it but I decided to put it aside and clean it later. After the car got cleaned out, I took it and a number of other items inside and began the cleaning process. One item not shown was a rolled up wide leather watch strap with the buckle and snaps with leather to hold the watch. From the late 60's or 70's I thought. Then a few more items that turned out modern. I started to soak this item earlier in a mason jar just with water because I thought it may be delicate and needed a soak. When I pulled it out and cleaned it up so all that debris and roots were gone, I said, man, this is real light. I gave it a better perusal with an eye loupe and HOLY COW it says STERLING and has a hallmark! So I did some homework on it and discovered it was made by Webster Company in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, but trying as hard as I can, am not able to discover the exact piece shown as yet. Although I will say that I remember finding one piece about 3/4 inch long that may have been part of a handle, which I can definitely say curved up and over to the long side of the found item. But, for the life of me I can't find it out in the car, even after looking several times later today. (Rats!!!!)
Anyway I cleaned it up and with some of my old fly tying tools and jewelers pliers was able to put it back into somewhat of its original shape. It needs a torch heat to do better but the wife will kill me if she's sees a torch in the apartment. (Last time I made a meringue pie and toasted the egg fluff I almost got thrown out!
) It does test Sterling and weighs in at 10.4 grams. It's age could be anywhere from 1864 up unto the the late 1940's. (Ref: https://www.kovels.com/mystery-marks/cw-...-mark.html)
I believe I found this the same day I found a 1920 Merc about 20 feet away, which would have been October 13th. I'm kinda beside myself that I didn't pay too much closer attention to it as it probably would have let me save the little handle piece I had found. But live and learn I guess. The mystery still is, this was found way out in the woods. A farmer or hunter having some tea, perhaps. I'll never know, but I will always wonder.
Good luck to all and Happy Hunting out there!
Ed
Anyway I cleaned it up and with some of my old fly tying tools and jewelers pliers was able to put it back into somewhat of its original shape. It needs a torch heat to do better but the wife will kill me if she's sees a torch in the apartment. (Last time I made a meringue pie and toasted the egg fluff I almost got thrown out!
) It does test Sterling and weighs in at 10.4 grams. It's age could be anywhere from 1864 up unto the the late 1940's. (Ref: https://www.kovels.com/mystery-marks/cw-...-mark.html) I believe I found this the same day I found a 1920 Merc about 20 feet away, which would have been October 13th. I'm kinda beside myself that I didn't pay too much closer attention to it as it probably would have let me save the little handle piece I had found. But live and learn I guess. The mystery still is, this was found way out in the woods. A farmer or hunter having some tea, perhaps. I'll never know, but I will always wonder.
Good luck to all and Happy Hunting out there!
Ed