🥇 BANNER About as close to the fur-trade holy grail as I am gonna get. The Cross of Lorainne.

[mglentz4125]

Now I have had a couple of decent years of detecting but nothing compared to THIS!

I found a decent fur trade site in the middle of the Michigan woods and was happy to have unearthed a couple pairs of scissors, musket ball, fire-steel, etc. The usual good stuff I love to find. I kept on until I got a decent deep high-tone and started whacking away (but being careful) and about passed out when I saw this thing sticking out from the roots.

This is a bucket-lister I never really thought I would ever see. A French silver 'Cross of Lorainne' stamped 'RC' (Robert Cruikshank / Montreal silversmith) which dates this to the late 1700s. I am not sure I can ever top it.

Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Cheers fellow diggers!!

 

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[angelito1]

wow!! truly a find of a lifetime! .. .. .. .. ..

 

[detectorcowboy]

Score, what do you think the deal is with the scissors?

 

[Blak bart]

I'll vote banner. Congrats its a beautiful, rare piece!!

 

[pepperj]

My gills turned green with pure envy.
Congratulations on the beautiful fur trade cross.
That certainly deserves a special place up on the banner.
Display it proudly.

 

[Centsless Detecting]

Wow that's a find of a lifetime. Huge congrats. Maybe there is one for me across the lake somewhere.

 

[ironhorse]

Unbelievable!
That is seriously a museum quality find and created by the most preeminent silversmith for the best quality fur trade silver there is out there.
Find of a lifetime! Big congratulations!

 

[hollARDog]

When y'all say "fur trade item" is this just referring to that era of time? Slowly picking up the lingo

 

[camichael]

Banner for sure! Congrats!

 

[ajaj]

Wow!

aj

 

[Jose The Goon]

Cheers to you "mglentz4125" !!! Whenever I see people here mention "The Fur Trade", what immediately comes to mind is the movie "The Revenant", an excellent movie with great cinematography that displays the hardships & ruggedness of the early fur traders. I'm sure the person that lost that cross lived a hard, adventurous & exciting life, and was heartbroken after the loss. You salvaged a great piece of history.
Huge CONGRATS !!! Great find !!!

Robert Cruickshank (Montreal, active 1774-1809) Cross of Lorraine Trade Silver From the Estate of Kenneth Erwin

double bar cross with rocker-engraved detailing on both sides; touchmark on center of cross, length 6 in. x width 2.75 in. 18th century...

www.cowanauctions.com

 

[mglentz4125]

Score, what do you think the deal is with the scissors?

Seems as though scissors were just as important as a knife or fire-steel as I seem to always find a pair or two in the same spots!

 

[mglentz4125]

Wow that's a find of a lifetime. Huge congrats. Maybe there is one for me across the lake somewhere.

Gotta be at least one more out there!

 

[mglentz4125]

When y'all say "fur trade item" is this just referring to that era of time? Slowly picking up the lingo

Actual fur-traders that would either get the furs or trade for them to ship back to Europe. In Northern Michigan this was basically ground-zero

 

[mglentz4125]

Cheers to you "mglentz4125" !!! Whenever I see people here mention "The Fur Trade", what immediately comes to mind is the movie "The Revenant", an excellent movie with great cinematography that displays the hardships & ruggedness of the early fur traders. I'm sure the person that lost that cross lived a hard, adventurous & exciting life, and was heartbroken after the loss. You salvaged a great piece of history.
Huge CONGRATS !!! Great find !!!

Robert Cruickshank (Montreal, active 1774-1809) Cross of Lorraine Trade Silver From the Estate of Kenneth Erwin

double bar cross with rocker-engraved detailing on both sides; touchmark on center of cross, length 6 in. x width 2.75 in. 18th century...

www.cowanauctions.com

View attachment 2050257

Holy smokes that auction link! I best not let my wife see what that other one went for or she will start shopping

 

[CRUSADER]

 

[WannaDig3687]

When y'all say "fur trade item" is this just referring to that era of time? Slowly picking up the lingo

Maybe this will help you . It has helped me.

 

[Steve in PA]

Incredible find and completely intact as well. Congratulations!

 

[WannaDig3687]

View attachment 2050246Now I have had a couple of decent years of detecting but nothing compared to THIS!

I found a decent fur trade site in the middle of the Michigan woods and was happy to have unearthed a couple pairs of scissors, musket ball, fire-steel, etc. The usual good stuff I love to find. I kept on until I got a decent deep high-tone and started whacking away (but being careful) and about passed out when I saw this thing sticking out from the roots.

This is a bucket-lister I never really thought I would ever see. A French silver 'Cross of Lorainne' stamped 'RC' (Robert Cruikshank / Montreal silversmith) which dates this to the late 1700s. I am not sure I can ever top it.

Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Cheers fellow diggers!!

View attachment 2050243View attachment 2050244View attachment 2050245

Outstanding find! Made me go on a research blitz to learn about the Lorraine Cross, the Fur Trade and Robert Cruikshank and his role in Montreal history. Definitely a rich historical piece!

 

[lenmac65]

Absolutely love it! That looks like a BANNER find to me. Congrats on finding such an interesting piece of history. The stories that cross could tell.