Old tag of some kind...

[Ridley]

...a jackknife and a pewter pendant. For your viewing pleasure.

What a gorgeous day in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Going out again tonight!


Cheers!


Ridley

 

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[PBK]

What's on the tag? Last word looks like the name Weldon. If it's not a railroad baggage claim tag, then it might be from a transfer service / freighting company or a hotel.

 

[Ridley]

Sorry. Here it is enlarged and cleaned up. I found this tag at the edge of a private field where they used fill to
create an elevated earth barrier next to a stream.
Parts of it are just plain impossible to dig, but other parts are like soft black soil. I can't wait to use my DFX on this spot, (when I get it).


The back of tag is blank. The front has no date but reads MONTGOMERY Ala. and WELDON

Ridley

 

[Kas]

Don't know for sure, but this may help.

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Information
The name was changed in 1855 to the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. ... from there to Albany, Georgia, Montgomery, Alabama, and many points in Florida ...

www.bookrags.com/wiki/Atlantic_Coast_Line_Railroad -

 

[DANGLANGLEY]

Nice finds, Who made the knife and how deep was it? It looks like it's in good shape, WTG!!!

 

[Ridley]

The knife is soaking with the pendant. I'm going to try to buff out the rust on the back of it. That knife would fit on a key ring
very nicely.

I thought the tag was dog tag when I first dug it up. A dog named Weldon.




Ridley

 

[PBK]

Okay, Ridley... here we go. It is definitely a railroad baggage tag. "W of A" is a reporting mark of the Western Railway (or Railroad) of Alabama, c. 1868 - 1883. "A & W P" is the Atlanta & West Point Railroad. I'll let someone else chase the rest of 'em!

 

[Wolfbite]

Great finds.Man it was nice here today.HH Wolfbite

 

[Stormtrooper154]

Great find!

 

[Ridley]

Okay, Ridley... here we go. It is definitely a railroad baggage tag. "W of A" is a reporting mark of the Western Railway 9or Railroad) of Alabama, c. 1868 - 1883. "A & W P" is the Atlanta & West Point Railroad. I'll let someone else chase the rest of 'em!

Thanks PBK!
I just missed the Civil War by three years! WOW!
I wonder what my area was like back then? Probably a very chaotic place to be in those years.

The tag means a lot more to me now. I appreciate the information.



Ridley

 

[l.cutler]

Better do a little research on your baggage tag, some of them are fairly valuable.

 

[PBK]

Ridley, the Western Railway of Alabama actually did exist in Civil War days... but mainly on paper. It was chartered in 1854, but not completed until 1870.

Important! Can you read the tiny lettering of the maker's mark above the slot of the tag? It looks as if it might be CUSHING BARDUA & CO NJ. If so, that is a very rare mark. It's rated 5 on the TagTown scale— "one known!"

There doesn't seem to be much information about Cushing, Bardua & Co., but in the early 1870's there was a printing firm of the same name in New York. Same time period... rather uncommon combination of names... adjacent states: I'd say that adds up to a very strong probable connection.

 

[Trash Digger]

Thanks PBK!
I just missed the Civil War by three years! WOW!
I wonder what my area was like back then? Probably a very chaotic place to be in those years.

The tag means a lot more to me now. I appreciate the information.



Ridley

Wow, Ridley, I didn't realize you were that old. And those were desperate times for the citizens of North Carolina.

http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/exhibits/civilwar/about_section4a.html

Here's a little history on the Wilmington and Weldon.

http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/ref/nchistory/mar2006/index.html

Mike

 

[Montana Jim]

Ridley... Nice pile of stuff, and NICE knife! But, wow, great tag!!

Looks like PBK really got the goods for you on that thing being kinda rare?

Keep us posted!

 

[Ridley]

Ridley, the Western Railway of Alabama actually did exist in Civil War days... but mainly on paper. It was chartered in 1854, but not completed until 1870.

Important! Can you read the tiny lettering of the maker's mark above the slot of the tag? It looks as if it might be CUSHING BARDUA & CO NJ. If so, that is a very rare mark. It's rated 5 on the TagTown scale— "one known!"

There doesn't seem to be much information about Cushing, Bardua & Co., but in the early 1870's there was a printing firm of the same name in New York. Same time period... rather uncommon combination of names... adjacent states: I'd say that adds up to a very strong probably connection.

It actually does say CUSHING BARDUA on top.

Here's a better scan. I didn't want to clean it too much.


Does that mean now there's two?

Thanks again for the research PBK!



Ridley

 

[SilverDreams]

Wow, great tag!

 

[potsy]

Sweet find. I love railroad artifacts.

 

[FandHPhoto]

Jack knife looks like one called Old Timer By Schrade (series of knives made by this co (who I think just went outta business?) and I there should be a model number on the blade end.. (about $25-$30.00 value if I recall)

 

[Ridley]

Jack knife looks like one called Old Timer By Schrade (series of knives made by this co (who I think just went outta business?) and I there should be a model number on the blade end.. (about $25-$30.00 value if I recall)

Thanks Fand!
I buffed the larger blade (gently). It reads "BUCK 305 U.S.A."

I sprayed the knife with oil and I'm letting it sit for a while. The blades are completely intact. The knife works great. There's a little rust on the back of
the case.
One other detail. The blades are razor sharp!



Ridley

 

[Nashoba]

ONE OF TWO KNOWN TO EXIST?? HOLY CRAP!
I can't wait to see how this follow up goes! What a find of a lifetime!
~Nash~