COLONIAL SILVER HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

got out with Frank for a few hours.took him to one of my sites that has been pounded in the past by me,rcat & sniffy.
today i got in the cellar hole and worked the lip of the hole from inside.
it paid off in a few finds.
a barrel tap,a old fork, a broken pewter shoe buckle frame portion and what i thought was a piece of pocket watch guts at first but rubbed it and suprise it's real silver and hand etched with what looks like a pope on one side and the other side looks like it may be saint Anne or saint Anthony holding a flower.with initials SA.
i don't know how old this silver piece dates back to? but,the etching looks to be that age and it's a 1780's site.this may be a "one of a kind" medal?

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Great finds HMN I think it is interesting that the silver piece is shaped similiarly to pieces of indian trade silver I have seen. There were Catholic misssionaries in the northeast.....



Does it appear that the hole was made after the engraving? In other words, does it punch through the engraving or does the engraving start after the edge of the hole? It almost looks like the hole was made later

thanks! well i don't know i suppose the hole was made after the carving or etching was done

 

[Tnrelicman]

Thats an awesome find

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Thats an awesome find

thanks!

 

[HISPAN]

very nice Fork and Medal !

 

[Steve in Michigan]

Could that Catholic medal possibly be Indian trade silver? The reason why I say that is because of how thin it is and the shape. Just a thought.

Your Friend,

Steve in Michigan

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Could that Catholic medal possibly be Indian trade silver? The reason why I say that is because of how thin it is and the shape. Just a thought.

Your Friend,

Steve in Michigan

i don't know steve i hope somebody can tell me

 

[scratcher]

Great finds HMN I think it is interesting that the silver piece is shaped similiarly to pieces of indian trade silver I have seen. There were Catholic misssionaries in the northeast.....



Does it appear that the hole was made after the engraving? In other words, does it punch through the engraving or does the engraving start after the edge of the hole? It almost looks like the hole was made later

thanks! well i don't know i suppose the hole was made after the carving or etching was done

It might be worth measuring the thickness with digital calipers. It's worth trying to rule out trade silver because a Catholic piece would be very unusual. I think it would be odd to have engraving on both sides, though. And a silversmith of the time would likely have made a neater hole. But it looks to me that was done later, maybe after it was broken off a little higher 'up'. Do the edges look rough like they were cut with scissors, or is it really smooth? A very cool piece

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Great finds HMN I think it is interesting that the silver piece is shaped similiarly to pieces of indian trade silver I have seen. There were Catholic misssionaries in the northeast.....



Does it appear that the hole was made after the engraving? In other words, does it punch through the engraving or does the engraving start after the edge of the hole? It almost looks like the hole was made later

thanks! well i don't know i suppose the hole was made after the carving or etching was done

It might be worth measuring the thickness with digital calipers. It's worth trying to rule out trade silver because a Catholic piece would be very unusual. I think it would be odd to have engraving on both sides, though. And a silversmith of the time would likely have made a neater hole. But it looks to me that was done later, maybe after it was broken off a little higher 'up'. Do the edges look rough like they were cut with scissors, or is it really smooth? A very cool piece

the edges are smooth.i don't have any digital calipers to measure it.and you may be right about a larger loop being broke off above hole

 

[Goldiver]

Sweet finds, the item I highlighted in red appears to be a musket part, usually brass and would hold the barrel to the stock, as for age it would be hard to say as they are used on modern reproduction muskets too. I love the silver item, in my opinion it appears to have been crafted from a sterling spoon.

Steve

P.S. Sorry, I didn't see the previous post on the gun part and that it was already ID'd. 8)

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Sweet finds, the item I highlighted in red appears to be a musket part, usually brass and would hold the barrel to the stock, as for age it would be hard to say as they are used on modern reproduction muskets too. I love the silver item, in my opinion it appears to have been crafted from a sterling spoon.

Steve

P.S. Sorry, I didn't see the previous post on the gun part and that it was already ID'd. 8)

thanks! no problem on the previous ID.i don't think this medal was crafted from a spoon.

 

[Argentium]

I strongly disagree with many earlier posts regarding a later date ,due to the nature of the hole
I am a semi - professional silversmith , I know silver pretty well , A hole like that could indeed
have been punched and enlarged by using an awl - a sharpened and tapered steel implement ,
with one very sharp edge pushed, and turned into the pilot hole so as to enlarge it - would indeed
remove the requisite amount of metal , while simultaneously raising the flange that is clearly evident ,
This flange would also be enhanced thru the wearing of the item on a chain . I would think this item
is solidly 18th century - just the opinions of one man - and I am no expert ! Argentium.

 

[scratcher]

I strongly disagree with many earlier posts regarding a later date ,due to the nature of the hole
I am a semi - professional silversmith , I know silver pretty well , A hole like that could indeed
have been punched and enlarged by using an awl - a sharpened and tapered steel implement ,
with one very sharp edge pushed, and turned into the pilot hole so as to enlarge it - would indeed
remove the requisite amount of metal , while simultaneously raising the flange that is clearly evident ,
This flange would also be enhanced thru the wearing of the item on a chain . I would think this item
is solidly 18th century - just the opinions of one man - and I am no expert ! Argentium.

Hi Argentium. I don't think you are referring to anything I posted, but I just wanted to clear up that I also think that it is 1700's. I do, however, think the hole was made at a later date than the engraving. None of the silversmith made trade pieces I've seen have holes like that. Only the native made pieces. Cool piece

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

I strongly disagree with many earlier posts regarding a later date ,due to the nature of the hole
I am a semi - professional silversmith , I know silver pretty well , A hole like that could indeed
have been punched and enlarged by using an awl - a sharpened and tapered steel implement ,
with one very sharp edge pushed, and turned into the pilot hole so as to enlarge it - would indeed
remove the requisite amount of metal , while simultaneously raising the flange that is clearly evident ,
This flange would also be enhanced thru the wearing of the item on a chain . I would think this item
is solidly 18th century - just the opinions of one man - and I am no expert ! Argentium.

Hi Argentium. I don't think you are referring to anything I posted, but I just wanted to clear up that I also think that it is 1700's. I do, however, think the hole was made at a later date than the engraving. None of the silversmith made trade pieces I've seen have holes like that. Only the native made pieces. Cool piece

thanks guys! what kind of tool or scribe would they have used to get these angles cuts into the silver? some type of blade? it's not scratched in each cut has a bevel to it

 

[scratcher]

I strongly disagree with many earlier posts regarding a later date ,due to the nature of the hole
I am a semi - professional silversmith , I know silver pretty well , A hole like that could indeed
have been punched and enlarged by using an awl - a sharpened and tapered steel implement ,
with one very sharp edge pushed, and turned into the pilot hole so as to enlarge it - would indeed
remove the requisite amount of metal , while simultaneously raising the flange that is clearly evident ,
This flange would also be enhanced thru the wearing of the item on a chain . I would think this item
is solidly 18th century - just the opinions of one man - and I am no expert ! Argentium.

Hi Argentium. I don't think you are referring to anything I posted, but I just wanted to clear up that I also think that it is 1700's. I do, however, think the hole was made at a later date than the engraving. None of the silversmith made trade pieces I've seen have holes like that. Only the native made pieces. Cool piece

thanks guys! what kind of tool or scribe would they have used to get these angles cuts into the silver? some type of blade? it's not scratched in each cut has a bevel to it

I think the tool a silversmith would have used is called a graver.

 

[Indiana Digger]

Wow...never seen anything like that before! This Catholic boy is IMPRESSED!

Great Find.




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