Rare Victorian Silver Bell Rattle/Whistle Toy

[UnderMiner]

Dug this up today. Didn't know what it was supposed to be. Got home and cleaned it up. Totally confused I consulted the internet and boy was I shocked - turns out this artifact is a child's toy that dates from about 1890-1900! They were made of silver and were essentially bell rattle/whistle toys. They were given to babies and young children by their wealthy victorian parents. Hard to believe as these are very small toys and children can easily choke on them, but back then I guess the adults didn't know too much about child safety.



There are three big silver bells and two little silver bells. The bells are connected to the handle that also serves as the whistle. There is a maker's stamp on the bottom that reads "RJK". According to the sources I can find online there were many varieties of silver bell rattle/whistles made in the late 1800's and this is one of the more rare examples. Prices for surviving examples vary between $200-$400.

 

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[digging440yrs]

Cool-----I had a silver one marked tiffany---sold on feebay ---nice find

 

[etex]

Banner

 

[BTV Digger]

Fantastic find! Better than a toasted large cent any day. Agree on the choking hazard - "Danger. Contains small parts."

John

 

[trapperart]

That's so unusual it would look good up top. I vote banner

 

[texjim]

That is one awesome find. I have to vote Banner too

 

[BigWaveDave]

Should be up top already!
Never have I ever seen anything like it....
Cool factor is off the charts!
Big congrats on a great find!

 

[BigWaveDave]

Have any pics before the cleaning?

 

[SusanMN]

Awesome find, and it seems to be in great condition.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very nice relic find, congratulations on the unique piece of history!

 

[deershed]

That is so Sweet!! You got my banner vote.

 

[Blak bart]

Underminer I got a feeling your gonna break the banner board slump. Ive never seen anything like that and it is bad to the bone. The only way that would have been lost was if the toddler lost it . A piece like that would have been passed down from generation to generation. Its a family heirloom. Great find, way to go. Hell ya!! Im voting banner.

 

[Trezurehunter]

What a great find. My banner vote is also in !

 

[trapperart]

I really hope this doesn't get forgotten. It is a great find in great condition

 

[UnderMiner]

Underminer I got a feeling your gonna break the banner board slump. Ive never seen anything like that and it is bad to the bone. The only way that would have been lost was if the toddler lost it . A piece like that would have been passed down from generation to generation. Its a family heirloom. Great find, way to go. Hell ya!! Im voting banner.

Probably was walking with his/her parents in the park way back then and just lost it as kids do. And there in that spot it laid for over a century undisturbed as the world changed all around. This is true for all things we find lost for a long time under ground but something about this piece made me feel a much more personal connection to the artifact. This is not a coin which would have belonged to countless people, this is a toy that likely only belonged to a single family in is entire existence before being lost, maybe they were fancy NYC aristocrats, so cool to wonder who they may have been. As for breaking the banner slump, all I can say HOORAH!

 

[trapperart]

Probably was walking with his/her parents in the park way back then and just lost it as kids do. And there in that spot it laid for over a century undisturbed as the world changed all around. This is true for all things we find lost for a long time under ground but something about this piece made me feel a much more personal connection to the artifact. This is not a coin which would have belonged to countless people, this is a toy that likely only belonged to a single family in is entire existence before being lost, maybe they were fancy NYC aristocrats, so cool to wonder who they may have been. As for breaking the banner slump, all I can say HOORAH!

I sure hope it goes to banner

 

[EasternShoreMetal]

That is just the coolest relic I have seen for awhile, and never hunted a toy that ornate yet. That's a great classic find. I know they were popular, even up to the mid 1900's ( moreso up to the 20's) But, I haven't seen any posted. That it may be older or may not be quite as old makes not much difference to me, the uniqueness is sufficient for my banner vote.
WTG! That's a great find.

 

[Westfront]

Very cool. Never seen or even heard about childs toys out of that time. You have my vote too. Something i like to see on top! Congrats!

 

[UnderMiner]

That is just the coolest relic I have seen for awhile, and never hunted a toy that ornate yet. That's a great classic find. I know they were popular, even up to the mid 1900's ( moreso up to the 20's) But, I haven't seen any posted. That it may be older or may not be quite as old makes not much difference to me, the uniqueness is sufficient for my banner vote.
WTG! That's a great find.

I've found IHCs and Lincoln cents from about the same time period 1880's-1920's in this area so if I had to guess I would say it must have been lost by the 1920's at latest or 1890's at earliest. From my research it seems these toys were only popular for a short period at the turn of the 20th century, after this not too much. Tin and Bakelite toys really took over in the 1910's and later.

 

[ecmo]

I think that is one of the most unique dug items I have ever seen and double blessed that it's silver and stayed in that amazing condition. Huge congratulations to you sir. Since I never post anything of my own maybe my banner vote won't count but I will throw it in anyway.

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