The Oldest Metal Detector I have Ever Seen

[Championhilz]

While doing some research today I found this incredible picture in a scrapbook from the 1930's. The scrapbook was kept by a newspaper reporter from Vicksburg, Mississippi. He often wrote about picking up Civil War relics around Vicksburg, so this picture would definitely been of interest to him. The picture is not dated, but some of the other clipped articles on the same page are, and they date from 1938. The detector itself is amazing - it looks like the wooden "box" part might have started off life as a tool box. What's even more amazing, is that judging by the number of shells he dug up, the thing actually worked pretty well! Has anyone else ever seen (or heard of) a metal detector being used this early for hunting relics?

 

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[Championhilz]

Here's a close-up of the machine:

 

[crazyjarhead]

Very interesting. New to me. I didn't know but now I do.

 

[potsie]

I wonder how stiff your back would be after swinging this thing for a bit.

 

[N.J.THer]

James Nave was the father of relic hunting...who knew.

 

[TXDIRTFISHER]

That is the new Whites Vision he's holding!

Doesn't look like he had a DD coil on that sucker.

 

[Mr.Jody]

Metal detector or giant magnet....

 

[allen]

looks like that thing must have weighed a 100 pounds...

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Interesting! HH, Mike

 

[NGE]

I collect old Popular Mechanix and popular electronix, and Mechanics Illustrated mags. And one of them has a pic of a guy, on a beach in Florida using an old Mine Detector for the sole purpose of treasure hunting. When I relocate this book, I will scan the pic. I think it is from 1956 - '58......NGE

 

[seger98]

Interesting photo.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Here is a little history lesson for you from About.com:

In 1881, Alexander Graham Bell invented the first metal detector. As President James Garfield lay dying of an assassin's bullet, Alexander Graham Bell hurriedly invented a crude metal detector in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the fatal slug. Bell's metal detector was an electromagnetic device he called the induction balance
Gerhard Fischar - Portable Metal Detector

In 1925, Gerhard Fischar invented a portable metal detector (See Picture). Fischar's model was first sold commercially in 1931 and Gerhard Fischar was behind the first large-scale production of metal detectors.
According to the experts at A&S Company: "In the late 1920's, Dr. Gerhard Fisher, the founder of Fisher Research Laboratory was commissioned as a research engineer with the Federal Telegraph Co. and Western Air Express to develop airborne direction finding equipment. He was awarded some of the first patents issued in the field of airborne direction finding by means of radio. In the course of his work, he encountered some strange errors and once he solved these problems, he had the foresight to apply the solution to a completely unrelated field, that of metal and mineral detection.

 

[N.J.THer]

Here is a little history lesson for you from About.com:

In 1881, Alexander Graham Bell invented the first metal detector. As President James Garfield lay dying of an assassin's bullet, Alexander Graham Bell hurriedly invented a crude metal detector in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the fatal slug. Bell's metal detector was an electromagnetic device he called the induction balance

I've heard about Bell's attempt to find the bullet. Apparently he kept getting false signals but he was not aware that the President was on a bed with metal springs. So his hurriedly invented metal detector may have actually worked. I don't know how true this is and I don't remember where I heard, read or saw this.

NJ

 

[camperlee]

that man has every right to complain about it being heavy I'm never going to complain about mine being heavy again.

 

[gold nuggets]

That's what I LOVE about this forum.......
not only does a person get to see really neat
finds, but they can get an education on a variety
of subjects as well. Thanks guys and gals!!!
Gold Nuggets

 

[dfxmatt]

u gotta love it

 

[wildcatman71]

using that thing would turn you into popeye!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

championhilz, thanx for the great pix. Mind if I post that on the vintage detector forum?

To my knowlege, ALL the detectors of the 1930s were strictly 2-box variety (like Fisher's first ones, for example). Your pix doesn't look like a 2-box detector, however neither do various mine detectors of WWII look like 2-box detectors either. Yet all those early conventional looking (box & single loop) machines were still only capable of finding large items, not coin-sized items. Yours doesn't look like a conventional style OR a 2-box style. It doesn't appear to have a loop at all. Would be very interesting to know what he was swinging.

Notice that the guy was only finding those large shells (larger than soda cans). My hunch is that that is the smallest size item he could find. Machines that could find coin-sized items didn't arrive till the 1950s & 60s. If someone has other information, post it!

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

good afternoon Tom: From the 30's detectors were developed to find anti personal mines. May I suggest BFO variations, among other types. As the mines became more sophisticated, the detectors did also. Today's basic units are designed to find ground anomalies as the amount of detectable metal in mines has been reduced. Some of the springs have been replaced with glass ones.

I have heard of one that is competely non metal. The shrapnel effect was solved by using glass marbles.

The older detectores were bulky and heavy because of the necessity to carry different voltage batteries , IE' plate and filament voltages. Be thankful that transistors and Ic 's were developed.

I originally used one of those huge Fisher two box detectors, Heavy. On one trip I lost the two handles somehow and ended up using branches, it worked .

Don Jose de la Mancha

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Here is the patent for the first portable metal detector invented by Mr. Fisher, himself. Originally patented in 1933, it was known as the Metalloscope. Enjoy!