She was just 17, if you know what I mean ...

[lenmac65]

... and the way she looked, was way beyond compare.

Hit the site of a former ice house from the early 1900's several times this week, most recently today. My favorite find was this 1917 Liberty Walking half, which I dug this morning. This is America's most beautiful coin in my opinion. I was totally shocked to dig it, as I was only getting a sporadic chirping noise with a VDI more consistent with a penny, maybe on account of all the iron at this site. The signal actually disappeared altogether, and I only found it when I stuck my pinpointer in the hole. A couple days ago, I dug the two Mercuries at this site, both of which were also 1917 coins. A few other items of interest include the14K gold filled wedding band, the beautiful sterling brooch, and the unusual Woodbury "germ-proof flame" tin, which I think might have been a make-up compact of sorts. Also dug an Eagle themed object, which I think might be a drawer pull, though I am not sure. Rounding out the finds were some Wheaties from the 20's and 30's, several buttons, a harmonica reed, and a knife stamped "Cameo Silver Plate." This place is tough to detect and takes patience, but it has been fun. Thanks for checking out my post. Happy hunting!

 

[jeff of pa]

Outstanding digs my man!
The eagle thing... I think that could be a medallion from an old wooden saw?

Yep Hand Saw

 

[lenmac65]

Yep Hand Saw
View attachment 1860100

That's the one, or a very close version from the same company. Wish mine still looked like that. Thanks!

 

[SilverDreams]

Congrats on the great finds! Love the half!

 

[thrifty76now]

A real nice early Walker half.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Outstanding coin, jewelry and relic hunt!

 

[U.B.]

The way she looks is way beyond compare. Nice day for you!

 

[Red-Coat]

Some interesting finds there. For the knife, “Cameo Silver Plate” was a trademark of the National Silver Company of New York, and in use during the 1930s. The pattern dates are not well (or reliably) documented, but I would put your knife around 1930-1935.

For the tin, John H Woodbury made skin-friendly beauty soaps from the late 1800s from a base in New York and then expanded into face creams, cosmetics and other personal care products. Andrew Jergens purchased the company which owned the brand in 1901 and moved the headquarters to Cincinnati, Ohio so your item will be after that date. Given that it says “Flame”, I would assume this was a rouge or lip-blusher. I think the “germ-proof” claim had become a “germ-free” claim by about 1935 so it’s probably somewhere before that date and perhaps contemporary with the knife.

Woodbury himself had a chequered history. We tend to think of cosmetic surgery as a modern thing, but he had been offering surgical enhancements of a ‘face-lifting’ nature since the late 1800s and in 1897 founded the John H Woodbury Dermatological Institute. Between 1907 and 1910, the Andrew Jergens Company, Woodbury, and the Institute were involved in lawsuits against one another over who had the rights to the “Woodbury” name for particular usages (that’s also Woodbury’s face on your tin). The Institute was also brought to court (twice) for practicing medicine without a licence, and filed for bankruptcy protection in 1911 before being re-capitalised and purchased by Benjamin H Freedman.

Some interesting history on Woodbury’s surgical activities here:
https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/35/7/878/2589184
and some more general history here:
https://friendsofalbanyhistory.wordpress.com/tag/dr-j-h-woodbury/

 

[lenmac65]

Some interesting finds there. For the ....

Wow! Thanks for taking the time to share all that great information. Very interesting stuff. Love this hobby and all the great people on this site.

 

[Goldiver]

Nice looking Half and cool brooch too! I got your reference to the old Winger song also. I didn't give it much thought when the song first came out as I was a late teenager. Listening to that song now makes me just feel like a creepy old guy.

Steve

 

[Noah_D]

Nice Walking Liberty! We don't find those too often!

 

[lenmac65]

Nice looking Half and cool brooch too! I got your reference to the old Winger song also. I didn't give it much thought when the song first came out as I was a late teenager. Listening to that song now makes me just feel like a creepy old guy.

Steve

I am in my mid-fifties, so I guess I should feel like a creepy old guy listening to that song now too; however, "I saw her standing there" was always a favorite early Beatles song of mine, so I guess I am going to stick with it. "You're Sixteen," which Ringo remade, might be pushing it though. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Kray Gelder]

Nice looking Half and cool brooch too! I got your reference to the old Winger song also. I didn't give it much thought when the song first came out as I was a late teenager. Listening to that song now makes me just feel like a creepy old guy.

Steve

You have to go back farther than that. The Beatles, 1963.



Third grade for me. Didn't seem creepy. I had my eye on a girl then, and this song made sense. LOL.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Great back story and interesting finds Len!
Interestingly, my very first half dollar find was a 1917 US Walker as well.

I'm really loving the detail work on this little silver brooch too, nice find!
Dave