Vanity, Security, and Necessity...

[Subterranean]

Went out to an 1880's farm site in Southwest Missouri yesterday with our friends. The grass was high but there were some targets. Last month, at the same site, I found the top of a brass make-up compact probably from the 1930's near a dilapidated cabin. Yesterday, I found the bottom of the compact approximately 65 yards away, out in a field, bent completely in half like a taco shell!

When I cleaned and straightened the compact pieces, they mate up perfectly. I also found a heavy, brass padlock marked, "The F. T. Fraim Lock Co./Fraim/Master/ USA." It also has the number 64 stamped on the top. Any clue to the age of this lock?

My wife found a flattened pistol ball that is now about 3/4" around, maybe a .40 caliber? I found a 2" diameter, nickle-plated concho also. Lastly, at a nearby park, my wife found a big, gaudy bling "B" pendant in the playground bark. All in all, nothing too special but fun to dig on a sunny holiday weekend. Happy Hunting and a Safe Memorial Day to all. Remember our Veterans! Sub

 

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[vpnavy]

Nice finds (especially matching up the compact) Subterranean.

 

[allen]

That is neat the way you found the other half so far away.
Cool finds for sure!

 

[Subterranean]

That is neat the way you found the other half so far away.
Cool finds for sure!

Thanks guys, it really makes me think about when fellow detectorists find one half of a two-piece buckle. The other half will be nearby...albeit possibly drug by a plow share several yards away. Who loses just one half of a belt buckle? Especially one that does not go through pants or jacket loops...! Sub

 

[jewelerguy]

cool stuff

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi Sub,

Sounds like a good day and good company! That's great that you were able to find (and ID) both halves of that compact. Did you do anything to the metal before you bent it back, like heating it? I've shyed away from trying to bend things back as I've broken a few things in the process. That little copper star I told you about is all bent up and I'm scared to try and unbend it. The sad part is that there's a design on the front of the star that is almost impossible to see because of the way it's bent.

 

[Subterranean]

Hi Erik, I just did a "manual" test on the compact piece to see if it could tolerate straightening. Seeing that it was only bent, and not cracked, I took a risk on it. I bent it back into shape very slowly and finished off the flattening with a soft rubber mallet and an anvil. Heating the piece prior to straightening would probably be the best way. I surely would do it on a historical piece such as civil war items, etc... I would enjoy seeing pix of your star, even as it is bent now, and maybe we can ID it! Sub

Hi Sub,

Sounds like a good day and good company! That's great that you were able to find (and ID) both halves of that compact. Did you do anything to the metal before you bent it back, like heating it? I've shyed away from trying to bend things back as I've broken a few things in the process. That little copper star I told you about is all bent up and I'm scared to try and unbend it. The sad part is that there's a design on the front of the star that is almost impossible to see because of the way it's bent.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi Erik, I just did a "manual" test on the compact piece to see if it could tolerate straightening. Seeing that it was only bent, and not cracked, I took a risk on it. I bent it back into shape very slowly and finished off the flattening with a soft rubber mallet and an anvil. Heating the piece prior to straightening would probably be the best way. I surely would do it on a historical piece such as civil war items, etc... I would enjoy seeing pix of your star, even as it is bent now, and maybe we can ID it! Sub

Hi Sub! Thanks for the info. I will definitely get a pic up this evening of the star and the shepherd boy from the Happy Farm series.

 

[g-olden years]

Clearly a fun day! So cool finding the second half of the compact and not very close by at that, CONGRATS! One of my earliest delightful detecting finds was finding half of a sliced dime in a big heavy-turf field, joking to my son that I'd find the other half, and then actually popping that second tiny half out some distance away 20 minutes later. If your wife's name begins with "B", she's all set now, lol. If not, there's probably a teenager around who'd enjoy it: Barbie, Brunhilde, Boopsie, or Brianna, whatever. HH Andi