$1 cigar box of treasure- They are still out there

[nathan104]

Stopped by a local yard sale, mostly clothes and just junk. On a counter up front was this cigar box. I started looking through it and saw a real old pair of needle nose pliers. I picked them up out of the box and the seller said "Take that whole box for $1" There was a bunch of little tools and other stuff in it, but Id pay $1 just for the pliers, so said ok, sounds good. The cigar box is probably at least worth $1. On the way home, started going through the box and see a bunch of stuff I didn't pay any attention to while there. Old ribbon, buttons, what looked like tie tacks, etc. Looks like someone had a little collection of old smalls and kept them in this box and a bunch of other junk got thrown in. There were two things with "The Derby" on them and on the back says "Pat Nov 29 1898" and I was thinking they were some type of tie clip or something maybe sold during the Kentucky Derby. After researching them, They are old gambling cheating devices used to hold cards up your sleeve. Pretty dang cool. Here are the pictures. Several of the little pieces I have no idea what they are. I keep everything I find metal detecting, but think Im going to see about throwing some of this stuff on ebay.The whole box

The older stuff from the box

Other stuff in the box

Two "The Derby" card up sleeve cheating devices

Not sure what this was. The back has a tiny square hole in the middle, maybe it was a pin lik the other two in the box. Not sure if its gold or gold plated

Not sure what this this was. Looks like gold plated brass to me. The two holes on each end goes through and there are little things in each hole that are loose that held something. Here are several pictures of it.

Heres the back if it

Some kind of old tool maybe? Has writing at the top but cant make it out for sure. Looks like "ALLSERSEALLS" on one side and "32" on the other

 

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[hubcap76]

The bottom picture looks like an old nail punch, still made as such. I have one that is hiding until I am not looking for it

 

[mojjax]

Nice stuff - Those Derby things are awesome - you did good !

 

[BigWaveDave]

very cool finds... good job by you!

 

[Mackaydon]

I agree with hubcap76: Nail punch.
Nail punches come in head diameters sizes based on 32 guage; like 1/32s, 2/32s; ergo, your '32'.
There should be a number before the '32'.
That's my guess.
Don.....

 

[Grundestoun]

The card cheating devices are not what they really are. They are just cuff holders. Check out this page

http://cardshark-online.blogspot.com/2010/01/little-card-holdout-that-never-was.html?m=1

I wouldn't want to be the one telling a big lie to make something more appealing like some sellers do on ebay

 

[Mackaydon]

Could there be another letter before the 'a' on that nail punch?
Don.....

 

[nathan104]

The card cheating devices are not what they really are. They are just cuff holders. Check out this pagehttp://cardshark-online.blogspot.com...r-was.html?m=1I wouldn't want to be the one telling a big lie to make something more appealing like some sellers do on ebay

Im not sure. I can find a bunch of references to thissame exact piece as a card cheating device, and only that one article from that guy saying things like this aren't, but it doesn't reference this exact item. The ones he shows have clips on both sides. These only have a clip on one side and the other side, a playing card fits snug and wont fal out. Not sure how it would hold onto a cuff, even if it were paper thin enough to slip it in. The ones he shows with the clip on each end, I would say they are for holding cuffs. Im not going to saying they definitely are even though Ive found 5 or so references to this item (the derby), but Im also not going to say they aren't due to the one article.

 

[Grundestoun]

Contact some of the gambling museums. They could probably tell you for sure. There are several on the web. I remembered seeing a show on the history channel that said they werent cheating devices , I cant remember what show that was now.

 

[Tigger]

I think the bee thing is old - and I'd have it checked to make sure it's not some kind of gold. The two holes make me think "bolo tie", but it looks more feminine? Anyway, you might take that to a jeweler and get a better idea of what you have. Very cool box of stuff!!

 

[diggummup]

Contact some of the gambling museums. They could probably tell you for sure. There are several on the web. I remembered seeing a show on the history channel that said they werent cheating devices , I cant remember what show that was now.

That's the first thing I thought of when I saw them. Here is the one from above that is shown in a 1902 Sears catalog- https://www.etsy.com/listing/166510885/victorian-link-cuff-holder-c-1898-1902 There are a couple cuff holders that claim to be card cheat devices. Another is called the wizard. Here is a patent drawing for the one patd. on the date mentioned by the OP.

PS- NICE $1 BOX!

 

[clovis97]

Could there be another letter before the 'a' on that nail punch?
Don.....

The nail punch was made by Millers Falls, a prominent tool maker that competed with Stanley, back in the day.

I have an identical Millers Falls nail punch in my tool box. When I saw the first pic of the nail punch, I immediately knew the knurled pattern on the shank as being a MF punch.

 

[nathan104]

digimmup- That's awesome, Thanks! Very cool to have a copy of the catalog page. Guess that settles it!Clovis/hubcap/mackaydon- Thanks for the help on IDing the nail punch. I figured it was something like that but with the curve on the bottom piece I just wasn't sure.

 

[randazzo1]

I think the bee thing is old - and I'd have it checked to make sure it's not some kind of gold. The two holes make me think "bolo tie", but it looks more feminine? Anyway, you might take that to a jeweler and get a better idea of what you have. Very cool box of stuff!!

Agreed.

 

[clovis97]

Clovis/hubcap/mackaydon- Thanks for the help on IDing the nail punch. I figured it was something like that but with the curve on the bottom piece I just wasn't sure.

The 'curve' on the nail punch means that someone used it as a drift pin, and bent it.

Don't forget to hit the "like" button...it is kind of like saying 'thank you' or at least acknowledging that someone posted. Kind of like saying 'thank you' when someone holds a door open for you.

 

[hubcap76]

Don't forget to hit the "like" button...it is kind of like saying 'thank you' or at least acknowledging that someone posted. Kind of like saying 'thank you' when someone holds a door open for you.

it doesn't let you if your on the mobile app, seems only available to web based forum, unless I'm missing something , *like*

 

[randazzo1]

it doesn't let you if your on the mobile app, seems only available to web based forum, unless I'm missing something , *like*

Ditto. I just post "agreed" when I like something cause no Like on mobile.