Spoon - monogrammed -925/1000 in a local pond

[CoinFetcher]

Summer is upon us in western Washington, with sound side temperature climbing to the high 60s! (Seriously). Obviously it can get warmer in the sun, but we are steady 68.9 here!

Anyways - I already lost my first pair of waterproof equinox headphones, so I ordered another pair from a nice person on eBay, I put my wet suit bottoms and boots on, and have my nice stainless scoop.

I went to a local lake, The lake was formally a pond before they built a dam in 1920 to raise the level about 5 feet. While wading in the water with my metal detector and scoop, the good fines here are few and far between. A couple Wheaties, maybe a Canadian wheat cent, modern Coins, junkie jewelry.

Nice folks were chatting me up on the shore, and I hunted in the water for about an hour and was happy with my wheat cent spread. I believe the good targets are going to be out deeper, too deep and murky for what I’m doing.

So, on my way back to the car, I decided to just hunt the main obvious shallow swimming hole spot. I think they Have been bringing some good gravel in here and it has some clay underneath, it’s easy hunting. I have detected the spot 10 times before, it was probably the first place I ever brought my metal detecting underwater scoop.

Garbage garbage coins coins garbage garbage coins coins.

Then, I get a signal I cannot ignore. Relatively small, and ringing up on my equinox as a 33. I was daydreaming about a silver quarter, a silver half dollar, maybe a silver ring. I had muddied up the water quite a bit with my scooping, and had to work on this signal for the better part of half an hour. I was getting coins in the scoop that I wasn’t even hearing on my machine dimes quarters pennies, all I was trying to do was to get the hi tone out of the water.

Eventually my efforts were rewarded with a black heavy spoon. Holy moly, I could not believe it, I checked the back and gave it to Rub, sure enough Sterling. 925/1000 a monogrammed name on the front “Lucille” Amana graft date on the reverse “1903”


What a treasure! Thank you for reading

 

[Erik in NJ]

Now that's a real piece of history--much better than a silver coin. Now the fun begins on who owned it and how it ended up there. Great find. Pls post some more pics. Thx.

 

[bologna321]

Nice save, looks to be in good shape too

 

[xr7ator]

Half an hour, dang. Nice recovery.

 

[Red-Coat]

Good spoon. It’s by Towle Silversmiths/Towle Manufacturing Company of Newburyport, MA. Established in 1882 as an offshoot from other companies relating to Anthony Francis Towle and his son. Quality maker.

The pattern is called “Rustic”, first used in 1895 and I would expect the spoon to have Towle’s mark somewhere on the back… a rampant lion enclosed by a stylised letter T in script form, adopted in 1890.

 

[CoinFetcher]

Thanks for the info and cheers folks!

And indeed, the makers mark matches Towle! Thank you for the knowledge, what a place, you knew the makers mark without even seeing it!

I agree this is better than a coin.

My half hour estimate may be off... but, I dug so many holes looking for it, and got several bonus coins, and made a mess looking for it, it seemed like a loooooong time.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Awesome personal item piece!

 

[lenmac65]

What a nice spoon. That's great that it has been personalized with the name. Congrats.

 

[against the wind]

Sweet Sterling Spoon,,
Congratulations