Old lead ingot L.F CO antique shop find

[Snorlax]

Found this neat looking lead bar at an antique shop in my area. Any info on it? Might it have some historical value or something?

Thanks!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[sutphin]

COULD BE FOR TELEPHONE OR OLD SEWER PIPE LEAD...

 

[Snorlax]

Really? Why would it look so old? I feel you are pulling my leg. :P

 

[Snorlax]

What do you mean that it could be for telephone? Also anyone have any ideas on company/origin?

Thanks!

 

[CRUSADER]

Nice door-stop.

 

[No gold in NY]

Back in the day poured lead was commonly used in the joints of sewer pipes. I have seen many examples of this in older homes. And where did plumbers get the lead? They purchased bars of it like the one you have. Your bar is a conservation piece. As far as value, you could sell it to a black powder shooter. They seem to prefer "old lead" to make the musket balls.

 

[pepperj]

There's many different types of lead bars used for many different things and have many different mixtures to the bars/ingots, 3000+ Compositions and Grades
Tin/lead used for plumbing joints, silver/lead/Babbitt Lead/Pig Lead/Bullion Lead/Copper/Nickel/3% antimonial bullion (typically used for sailboat keels) or 6% antimonial bullion.
Remember not all lead is created equal.

 

[trapperart]

Congrats

 

[Snorlax]

Oh well... Thought i had something there.

Thanks for the ID

 

[trdking]

The first old phone lines under the streets were encased in lead jackets and poured lead was placed around their entry points to seal the moisture out of the assemblies. I still see this in the older manholes. The antimony solder for copper piping is lead free to keep it out of the drinking water. The old cast iron sewer pipes were assembled with wadding then lead poured into he joints then hammered tight. Neither of the lead applications have been in use for many years. At least 50 years for the sewer pipe. Your lead bar is worth about .35 a pound in scrap.

 

[pepperj]

The first old phone lines under the streets were encased in lead jackets and poured lead was placed around their entry points to seal the moisture out of the assemblies. I still see this in the older manholes. The antimony solder for copper piping is lead free to keep it out of the drinking water. The old cast iron sewer pipes were assembled with wadding then lead poured into he joints then hammered tight. Neither of the lead applications have been in use for many years. At least 50 years for the sewer pipe. Your lead bar is worth about .35 a pound in scrap.

But to end user the lead can be $1.00 a pound. To a scrap it's not a high ticket item, I didn't even handle the lead, more trouble than it was worth.