Brass/Copper Ring

[edlynne]

Found this ring on site of late 1700's homestead. At first I thought it was a piece of copper pipe or a compression ring. Upon further inspection I noticed a solder mark which seems to joint the ring. I don't believe either plumbing piece would have this mark. Looking at the front of the rings solder mark it looks like the letter P. (might just be solder job) The ring is about 7/8" of an inch, where it would seem to be a woman's ring. Thanks in advance.

 

[Ant]

I think that it looks like a modern resized ring. I wouldn't waste my money to resize a gold plated copper ring by cutting and soldering instead of stretching. But if it had sentimental value ig guess so. Here's a resized antique sterling silver childs ring (white arrow) with solder marks, and some gold plated rings for comparison. The red arrow points to a ring that I found 25 feed from the edge of the lake that the FBI was searching in San Bernardino, Lake Socombe or to some locals "Scum Lake".

 

[edlynne]

thanks Ant, I do not believe this ring was gold plated. There is no sign of any gold left on ring inside or out. Also the width of the ring doesn't seem uniform as a modern ring might be. The sides where it is joined are not the same size leading me to believe it was hand made. Not sure if anyone has info on "poor mans wedding rings" It was suggested to me that this is what it might be.

 

[Ant]

I meant relatively modern. I noticed the wopped out edge too but I thought it was caused by being in the earth, someone trying to stretch it, a man waring it while chopping wood, lifting weights, etc, nice find.

 

[sutphin]

I THOUGHT IT MAYBE A RING THAT A CW SOLDIER MADE FROM A THIMBLE INWICH THEY USED TO DO ....

 

[edlynne]

Sutphin, I believe you might be right. What i am seeing online looks identical to this ring. Most important is that the gentleman that lived on this homestead during the Civil War was in Andrews sharpshooting unit, from Massachusetts. Document stories in a book published in 1876 explained the battles he was in and also the fact that he was wounded, went back home and then back to war where he died in Andersonville. So the history is there. Hopefully others can add in more about this type of ring, it would be nice to know more. Thanks

 

[Tommy G]

I found a very similar ring, also at a 1700s home site. You can clearly see the solder line in the second photo. I'm convinced this was hand made back in the day when copper was the poor man's gold.

 

[Digger]

Kind of looks like the ones I recovered at an old carnival grounds. I believe they were given out as prizes at one of the carnival events. The carnivals date back from the late 1800's to the 1920's. Here is a picture of one of the rings as it was found and then after I polished it back to the condition it was when it was probably lost. Found 6 of these all identical.

 

[Tommy G]

Wow, nice work on the restoration, Digger!

 

[edlynne]

Digger, How did you get it that nice, might want to try to restore the one I found. Up in the air about leaving it as found or trying to polish. I donate all to historic society in town and as it is now it looks like a piece of pipe, maybe restored it would take on the look as if back in the 1800's.

 

[Ant]

I don't fool with restoring but I use a drill, I would normally secure the ring on a piece of round stock, then I would secure a cotton cloth saturated with Brasso in a vise, then with safety glasses on I would go to town.

 

[Ant]

To get inside the ring I would mount the ring in a vise, then secure some cotton with Brasso on the round stock the got to town, then hand finish.