Lock

mastereagle22 · Dec 2, 2010

Found this cool little lock.

It says Simmons Wireless on the Front

and C.Q. (D). I think? It shows a ship at sea transmitting a signal.

It also has a small number 10 on the hasp.

I dug it last night and have to return it to the homeowner who is convinced it's worth "lot's of money"

It's a shame really because I don't do this for the monetary value of any item I find. Oh well hopefully he keeps it and passes it on to his kids.

It was from a home built in 1904 or 1905. Lots of possible good signals but it was too cold to dig much last night. Did find 4 wheats ranging from 1917 to 1954 during the hour long hunt as well. Homeowner wants them as well and since I agreed that is what I'm going to do.

artzstuff1 · Dec 2, 2010

Thats a cool little lock,,,!!! C.Q. is a ham radio phrase, thats what thats about, great find!!!!

arthur

mastereagle22 · Dec 2, 2010

The Simmons Wireless company used C.Q.D. as their distress calls in the early 1900s. It was never widely adopted and was dropped from use sometime between 1900 and 1930.

ddjames · Dec 2, 2010

Great finds. Interesting split. I guess that is always the way it could go. Good for you for being a straight shooter. I like to find stuff, but if I had to give it all away I don't think I would enjoy it as much.

mastereagle22 · Dec 2, 2010

Well I have ALWAYS honored any agreement made to the home owner. This will be the second time I will have to give up something I dearly would love to keep. The other was a Hubley Farm truck I dug up that was from the 30-40s.

But it's like I told my wife, a man is only as good as his word, and I want my word to be unquestionable.

wwwtimmcp · Dec 2, 2010

cqd is come quick distress. it was dropped in favor of sos, save our ship.

JerV3 · Dec 2, 2010

That is a nice lock man.

I would like to hold that one myself. It will all come back to you though over time. I have given up some nice items. But then I would be blessed with more great finds in the future.

HH Jer

Erik in NJ · Dec 2, 2010

Interesting story ... I'm fairly new to asking permission on private property (it's a bit uncomfortable for me so far) - what was your agreement? That he had the option of keeping anything you find? I have told owners this, but some have said "you found it - you keep it!" I'm surprised that he wanted the wheat cents too! Well I admire you keeping your word!

Very nice lock BTW!

mastereagle22 · Dec 2, 2010

Well the conversation went as follows:

Homeowner (HO) Well what if you find something really good or worth lots of money
Me I have always given the property owner the option of keeping something of value or interest to them, or if it is a family item it definitely goes to the homeowner
HO So if you find something that I really want I can have it?
ME Sure I guess.......that's how I have always done it.

I guess he found everything I dug up, including pull tabs interesting....... $:-\$

It only took me about 45 mins to realize that this was NOT a good arrangement. Maybe it was the cold, maybe I'm just slow, who knows. Either way I'm broken hearted over the fact that I won't be going back to such a great location to hunt again and that this is the first person like this I have run into who wanted everything I dug up....

Burdie · Dec 2, 2010

I have done this agreement also. At least it got me out of the house to hunt. Besides pictures don't take up much room. Glad to see you getting out to hunt.

Burdie

mastereagle22 · Dec 2, 2010

I guess Burdie, but it would have been nice to have gotten to keep a thing or two from the hunt..... :wink:

Good to see you on.

Al Czervik · Dec 2, 2010

I vote Beautimous ... :icon_thumright:

Rock on with your bad boy lock finding self ... :headbang:

~ Al

phantomfinder · Dec 2, 2010

great looking lock , :icon_thumleft:

maybe you can find one just a little bigger :laughing9:

WTG.....

Erik in NJ · Dec 2, 2010

I don't blame you - he sounds like a greedy SOB and probably a bit uneducated. Maybe try a different angle....go back and use humor.....say, I don't mind digging you some cool relics, but you gotta throw me a few bones to keep me motivated, otherwise the items'll just rot away in the ground!

I don't know, I'm pretty new to this - I think it's good policy to say they can keep anything I find - counting on their sense of fair play to kick in and say we'll share or you find it you keep it. I like to give the homeowner something even if he/she doesn't ask for anything as a show of goodwill. I hope you can hunt his property again. I heard another story on another forum where the guy followed him around the property (and chatting)

mastereagle22 said:
Well the conversation went as follows:

Homeowner (HO) Well what if you find something really good or worth lots of money
Me I have always given the property owner the option of keeping something of value or interest to them, or if it is a family item it definitely goes to the homeowner
HO So if you find something that I really want I can have it?
ME Sure I guess.......that's how I have always done it.

I guess he found everything I dug up, including pull tabs interesting....... $:-\$

It only took me about 45 mins to realize that this was NOT a good arrangement.

steelheadwill · Dec 3, 2010

That's a Nice Old Lock,
If the homeowner does try to sell it, I think he may rethink his off the cuff
Valuations. then again, you get about 35C for a pound of pulltabs around here :laughing9:

Hats off to you :thumbsup:

Gator-Flea · Dec 3, 2010

Neat lock....great find....

Joe Hoo? · Dec 3, 2010

nice lock thanx for posting HH

mastereagle22 · Dec 3, 2010

For the Record, my buddy Baldingboy and I almost exclusively hunt private yards anymore. We are both too old and too fat to go into the woods. Anyway we have always honored an agreement with a homeowner but we have never had a homeowner who has been this greedy.

I was taken aback really. I guess I'm being hard headed here but the reason I detect is to find cool stuff and have fun doing it. Having to give up everything you find is NOT fun and is NOT why I am detecting.

I did try to reason with the homeowner, even offered to pay a fair price for the lock. Sadly this one is the type that thinks since it came out of his ground on his property, it belongs to him. While technically this is correct, I'm the one doing the searching and digging. I feel I should at least get to keep a small morsel or two from my hunt. This is not the type of hunting I plan on doing. When I hunt I want to be able to keep a few of the goodies I find.

As for other homeowners, I have had them almost always say "You found it, you keep it" When I get that type of homeowner I try to make a small box or frame with coins, relics etc I find in their yards and present it to the homeowner as a token of my appreciation. That has actually gotten me permission to hunt a few yards I might not otherwise have been able to hunt. :-)

EagleDown · Dec 3, 2010

Good for you my Friend. I wouldn't hesitate to go into an agreement with you.

When I was about 12 years old, my foster father told me; "You only come into this world with one thing, your word. And, if your words no good, you're no good". I'm almost 75 now and I've never forgotten what he said.

Keep the faith. As they say, "What goes around, comes around".

Eagle