A little RR, what do you think?

Brian C. · Nov 12, 2011

The whether here was a bommy 50, and in the middle of Nov. there should be two feet of snow on the ground. I went back to the old town site to see what might be left. I am not sure what railroad this key is from, it is a neat find, the ring is quite old for this area, I am not sure of its time period, the other picture of the coin shows the file marks on the inside of the ring, it is a one peace ring, the silver looking thing is silver, and the coin is from Montreal, 1837. If any one can find a link on the key, that would be great, I found one on the Leiper Railroad, 1810-1828, I don't think this is correct, I am not sure if they used brass keys and locks in that time period. It could be a Brittish railroad.HH (L E & D R R) 650.

DigginThePast · Nov 12, 2011

Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway. :thumbsup:

From:
http://www.netrover.com/~edgacres/Railways.html
1890 - Lake Erie & Detroit River Railway - this line incproprated pre 1890 to build a rail line from Windsor to St. Thomas.

1891 - Windsor to Leamington line opened.

1894 - Leamington to St. Thomas line opened.

1901 - The Erie & Huron line merged with the Lake Erie & Detroit River Railway operating as the Erie & Huron Railway System.

So, I'd presume your key dates from 1890-1900. :dontknow:

Cool find. :icon_thumright:

Brian C. · Nov 12, 2011

DigginThePast said:
Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway.

From:
http://www.netrover.com/~edgacres/Railways.html
1890 - Lake Erie & Detroit River Railway - this line incproprated pre 1890 to build a rail line from Windsor to St. Thomas.

1891 - Windsor to Leamington line opened.

1894 - Leamington to St. Thomas line opened.

1901 - The Erie & Huron line merged with the Lake Erie & Detroit River Railway operating as the Erie & Huron Railway System.

So, I'd presume your key dates from 1890-1900.

Cool find.

Thanks for the great info on the key, I wonder how rare of key it might be?

olekyground · Nov 12, 2011

Awesome finds! That is definately the coolest skeleton key I have seen. Way to go!!

Brian C. · Nov 12, 2011

olekyground said:
Awesome finds! That is definately the coolest skeleton key I have seen. Way to go!!

Thanks, that is what makes this hobby interesting. Nt

wwwtimmcp · Nov 12, 2011

I like the ring, it looks like a wax seal matrix.

ANTIQUARIAN · Nov 13, 2011

Congrats on the great finds today Brian! :notworthy:

The Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway key probably fitted a padlock. :thumbsup:

The ring looks to be made of bronze or silver and looks similar to Roman rings that I've seen? :icon_scratch:

Dave

CRUSADER · Nov 13, 2011

http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showrecords.php?product=20789&cat=all

http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showrecords.php?product=26140&cat=all

http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showrecords.php?product=845&cat=all

I can't find an exact match for your ring, but I'm pretty sure the date range will be 1650-1750

I'm leaning more to 17th C, is this possible in your area, seems really early?

I'm voting banner on this one :headbang:

diggummup · Nov 13, 2011

CRUSADER said:
http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showrecords.php?product=20789&cat=all

http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showrecords.php?product=26140&cat=all

http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showrecords.php?product=845&cat=all

I can't find an exact match for your ring, but I'm pretty sure the date range will be 1650-1750 I'm leaning more to 17th C, is this possible in your area, seems really early?

I'm voting banner on this one

Yeah it's possible and I think your right on the date, it does look hand fabricated. It looks like an early fur trade era ring to me. That is an awesome find! Much better than the R.R. key which is cool too. I believe it is banner worthy. Whatever you do, don't clean the ring.

romeo-1 · Nov 13, 2011

Trade silver AND a trade ring...outstanding!!!

romeo-1 · Nov 13, 2011

BTW...it's a switch lock key. My father worked on the railroad and I have a bunch just like it. I don't think it's as old as 1900...the same style key is still in use today.

prolab69 · Nov 13, 2011

heres your coin, i found the same thing 2 years ago, cool finds :thumbsup:

timekiller · Nov 13, 2011

Agreed looks like another trade ring.Here's a site on them 5 pages of them..................Nice find :thumbsup:

Not sure why it's been filed so much :icon_scratch:

maybe to fit a bigger finger

http://www.bobsphotogallery.com/gallery2/v/FurTrade/rings/?g2_page=4
Take Care,
Pete, :hello:

ANTIQUARIAN · Nov 13, 2011

ANTIQUARIAN said:
Congrats on the great finds today Brian!
The Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway key probably fitted a padlock.

The ring looks to be made of bronze or silver and looks similar to Roman rings that I've seen?

Dave

I stand corrected, this definitely looks to be a 1700's Fur Trade Ring after viewing Pete's site link! :icon_thumright:

Goes to show how little I know! :laughing7:

Sweet find Brian, my vote for BANNER is in! :notworthy:

Dave

hikeinmts · Nov 13, 2011

Can anyone let an old man in on what a Fur Trade Ring is? Sounds like something dating back several hundred years, but
help help help me please. Thanks in advance.

The Patriot · Nov 13, 2011

seen the ring and new it was a trade ring right away..congrats...hey and key, coin and trade silver BIG bonus :headbang:

timekiller · Nov 13, 2011

hikeinmts said:
Can anyone let an old man in on what a Fur Trade Ring is? Sounds like something dating back several hundred years, but
help help help me please. Thanks in advance.

It does date back that far..........for me here it would have to as the indians were wiped out purdy early on say like around 1750 & before plenty of info to prove that.And even though I just found a ring awhile back to me it just don't compare to the copper trade pendant that I found even earlier this year.This is why I say that...............
http://www.preservationvirginia.org/rediscovery/pdf/mallios_low.pdf
but to answer your question in short it was just another item being traded to the indians
Take Care,
Pete, :hello:

Brian C. · Nov 13, 2011

Timekiller said:
hikeinmts said:

Can anyone let an old man in on what a Fur Trade Ring is? Sounds like something dating back several hundred years, but
help help help me please. Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

It does date back that far..........for me here it would have to as the indians were wiped out purdy early on say like around 1750 & before plenty of info to prove that.And even though I just found a ring awhile back to me it just don't compare to the copper trade pendant that I found even earlier this year.This is why I say that...............
http://www.preservationvirginia.org/rediscovery/pdf/mallios_low.pdf
but to answer your question in short it was just another item being traded to the indians
Take Care,
Pete,

Holly smoke, it is truly amazing what kind of stuff we can find just playing in the dirt, thanks for all great posts.

HISPAN · Nov 13, 2011

nice 17th century ring . :thumbsup:

ncsilverspider · Nov 13, 2011

That is a VERY nice Railroad key you have there! That type of key is called a "switch-lock" key. When a train would either have to head forward or reverse onto a new track, the train stopped right before the switch. The engineer/conductor/brakeman/switchman would walk over to the switch, and manually change the points by lifting/pulling/turning a lever so the points lined up with the other tracks. Whoever switched the points then inserted a lock on the lever to insure the switched stayed in place while the train proceeded onto the new track. The kind of key you found was used to lock the switch in place. So, again EXCELLENT FIND!!!! Still waiting for my first one!

CONGRATS!!!!!! :thumbsup: