lead bars?

[mamabear]

I found a Native American encampment that is litered w/ cylinders of what I believe is lead. they have been the same diameter, but vary in lengths from less than an inch to 5 inches is the longest I found. Was this a method of transporting it easily?

 

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[N.J.THer]

Not sure but do you have any pics? I found a lead ingot once but it was most likely late 1800s and nothing like what you discribe. Mine looked more like the shape of Fort Knox Gold but out of lead.
NJ

 

[Hardy]

Did the Lead look like this ? Far left in the photo

 

[mamabear]

No they were uniformly cylindrical, definitely had been in a mold. that's why I was wondering if it was the choice means of transporting them. My husband threw them away.(he isn't one of us "special"people) but when the snakes go away, I'll go get more. cuz the field is covered w/ them.

 

[nwctrader]

All the ingot bars of lead that I have seen from the Civil War and back to the 1700's was in the shape of a elongated rectagular bar, being flared out at the bottom & with writing imprinted on the top such as 'LEAD' or some military dept. writing on it. They are usually about 1/2" wide to 1" wide and maybe 6 to 12" long. These bars were the way they were always transported (in barrels or crates), although I wouldn't be surprised to find out there were other forms of lead ingots it made for transport.

 

[strickman]

some gold ingots and bars were coated in lead for easier transport.no one wanted to steal lead.

 

[mamabear]

some gold ingots and bars were coated in lead for easier transport.no one wanted to steal lead.

wouldn't that be grand! seeing as how the whole field is strewn w/ this material!

 

[strickman]

ooooohhhhh yeahhhhhhh!!!!!!

 

[N.J.THer]

I think my lead bar is from the late 1800s but here iare a few pictures.

The last one has a picture of the Tatham Brothers lead factory that was based in Philadelphia in the 1800s. I'm not sure how long they were in business so I'm not sure of the range this bar is from.

NJ

 

[ivan salis]

uh tell him about "old low alpha" lead * --its highly desired by electronic folks !! worth a good bit of cash if found in a decent amount.

 

[John (west central FL)]

I also have a Tatham lead bar. I found mine back in the 1970s on Egmont Key in the mouth of Tampa Bay.

 

[foiler]

Lead was used until the 1920's for than just making bullets. In earlier times it was the first solder and used as a sealanat for windows and pipe. It had many utilitarian uses. Casting them into ingots, their size being determined by the end use.

 

[MarkDz]

Could be... lead was a fairly popular trade item. It could be from later people too. For instance I'm digging at a trade site with tons of metal slag; turns out most of it was probably scrap from railroad construction and other later events.

 

[Whatdayagot]

Lead piece

Could be... lead was a fairly popular trade item. It could be from later people too. For instance I'm digging at a trade site with tons of metal slag; turns out most of it was probably scrap from railroad construction and other later events.

I found this last night across from a tavern the cont army camped at I found coins of that era and amongst them found this the property has been used up until now but curious to know if this could be a lead bar they used for bullets? its curved

 

[Mrdigz]

That's lead is awesome!

 

[chase2]

Do the ones you found look like this?

 

[JasoninIowa]

Chase2,

I have found some of those. I was told that they were net weights but I'm really not sure. I found mine in a river so it made sense to me.

 

[DirtyPockects]

I remember seeing a plumbers furnace with cylindrical lead ingots in it. Also electrical cables came with a lead sheath as well