Old ring?

[Southwind]

Took the AT Pro back out to the site of Fort Atkinson(1850-185 and found a few relics and a ring. I'm trying to determine how old the ring might be. Could it be from the same period as the other relics?

Relics from the hunt.

Ring after straightening and cleaning.

 

[BigCatDaddy]

Wow, that was one mangled ring!! Nice job of straightening it out. Is it plated? If so, I'm pretty sure they didn't electoplate anything back then. Nice finds on the relics!!

 

[William-NM]

Sounds like fun, Southwind! The ring looks old to me - I'm no expert, though. Does it have any markings on it? Of course, the US did not require them until the Gold & Silver Stamp Act of 1906. Very nice find!

 

[Southwind]

No markings I can find.

When did they start plating jewelry? I tried did a search and found someone who said electroplating started in 1803.

 

[mudpuppy]

n/t

 

[John-Edmonton]

Either way....great signet ring!

 

[BigCatDaddy]

I should have checked my facts before opening my piehole. I found this!!

Electroplating

 

[Southwind]

In 1857, the next new wonder in economical jewelry arrived called electroplating - when the process was first applied to costume jewelry.

Thanks. Looks like 1857

 

[Robert2300]

Yea...I wonder when they started platting it too.
I found what appears to be an old junker and IT
appears to be plated, but how old it is I can't say.