A silver ring from my trade site

[Rob (B.C.)]

This is the only silver artifact from my trade site so far. I've never seen another like it or marked inside like it either. I really feel that it is directly related to the fur trade, but my site became a homestead in the late 1800's, so some things are tough to date.

I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this one.

I do have a late 1800's photo in a book, that shows an indian chief's daughter wearing, what I'm sure is the exact same style ring. The photo was taken at another HBC fort about 250 miles north of my site. I'll try to scan that photo so I can post it.

[cedarratt]

Thats a neat find!!! and the fact that you have a photo with a similar ring is even neater!!!

[BuckleBoy]

That is one Incredible find! Bravo!!

New jewelry is "nice" and all--but OLD silver and gold are better.

That's a beautiful display piece.



Best Wishes,


Buckles

[Hardy]

Rob , any of the patterns on that Nice Ring match any local Native dress or artifacts

[dneyedli@res1.mts.net]

Looks like we are in the same boat. I too, have found a silver ring at a mixed site. Flat buttons and serpent pieces were coming out but so were things from a 100 years ago. My ring has an anchor on it which made me think it was later until a noticed "chicken scratches" all over the edge like you see on fur trade brooches. It is stamped SOLID SILVER too. You should post it on What is it section and I'm sure someone will know when that stamp dates from. I wonder if it is older than STERLING?
It's a beauty! I would be happy with that too! Now you got me really curious.
Thanks for sharing.
Dave.

[BuckleBoy]

Looks like we are in the same boat. I too, have found a silver ring at a mixed site. Flat buttons and serpent pieces were coming out but so were things from a 100 years ago. My ring has an anchor on it which made me think it was later until a noticed "chicken scratches" all over the edge like you see on fur trade brooches. It is stamped SOLID SILVER too. You should post it on What is it section and I'm sure someone will know when that stamp dates from. I wonder if it is older than STERLING?
It's a beauty! I would be happy with that too! Now you got me really curious.
Thanks for sharing.
Dave.

I agree with Dave about posting in the What is It? section of the forum. I will follow that post since I am curious about the backmark too. I have never seen that stamp before on a silver item. I would still date the piece to the CW era at least, just by looking at the style and markings--although it could very well be earlier.

Perhaps it is not a trade silver item, but rather a personal item that was lost?


Best Wishes,


Buckles

[Hardy]

Rob , Sterling is a bench mark of .925. Now in North America some Silver and Goldsmiths not having their own registered

Halmarks and using what ever silver to melt , marked their work as being SOLID SILVER as well as Coin Silver , How ever

the majority of "coin silver" is hallmarked. Your Ring with the shield and native influenced side scrowling Leeds me to think

it a 19Th century piece and possibly 1830's to 1860's based on the shield. However I do think that the mark "solid silver"

is in use today on some modern pieces as well.

[Rob (B.C.)]

Thank for all the comments and feedback, guys! I think it's likely 1830's - 1840's, but again a guess.

Sorry this isn't a better scan, but this is the late 1800's photo I have of a native chief's daughters. This photo was taken at a completely different HBC fort site many miles north of me. I swear it's the same design ring on the girls finger. It doesn't help with a date, because rings can be handed down through the generations, but it does tie both together as being native and trade related, likely.



Dave.....Now we need pics of your ring!!!!

[Hardy]

Sure does look like the same ring bud will get you a aprox date of your photo or do you have the date of it ?

[Hardy]

In 1849 Mr.Walter Hunt invented the Safety Pin , It appears that the young ladies are wearing clothes that are with bone buttons

yet I maybe wrong on that. I am going out on a limb by making a date of this photo 1870'S and are they from Prince William

Sound ?

[Rob (B.C.)]

In 1849 Mr.Walter Hunt invented the Safety Pin , It appears that the young ladies are wearing clothes that are with bone buttons

yet I maybe wrong on that. I am going out on a limb by making a date of this photo 1870'S and are they from Prince William

Sound ?

Hey Hardy

Good info and a good guess on the date, but I actually do know the date of the photo and it's 1890's.

Like I said it doesn't date the ring, because a ring like that could have been a "hand me down" from the girl's mother or grandmother. My point is that it is too much of a coincidence that a native girl at another HBC site is wearing the same type of ring.

[Iron Patch]

Looks like we are in the same boat. I too, have found a silver ring at a mixed site. Flat buttons and serpent pieces were coming out but so were things from a 100 years ago. My ring has an anchor on it which made me think it was later until a noticed "chicken scratches" all over the edge like you see on fur trade brooches. It is stamped SOLID SILVER too. You should post it on What is it section and I'm sure someone will know when that stamp dates from. I wonder if it is older than STERLING?
It's a beauty! I would be happy with that too! Now you got me really curious.
Thanks for sharing.
Dave.

I would say your chances are very good if you each found silver marked "Solid Silver" from mixed trade sites. It doesn't appear to be a common mark, so the odds would have to be in favor of it being trade pieces.

[Rob (B.C.)]

Thanks for posting a pic of your ring, Dave!!

Some definite similarities for sure. That's really wierd how yours has rocker engraving started around the anchor and never completed. Almost like yours had the "chicken scratch" added later.

I've only ever seen one other ring marked "solid silver", and it was found by a guy back east at an 1830's site. It was just a plain silver band.

[pepperj]

That's an awesome silver ring Rob, that picture sure looks like you nailed it. What would be the chances that they were a common traded ring design at the time. Either way it's really sweet.

[watercolor]

That ring is absolutely beautiful !

Definitely on my dream list. . . (sigh)

[NWMP]

That ring is absolutely beautiful !

Definitely on my dream list. . . (sigh)

Isn't that the truth!