Three Interesting Items near 1830's Barn and Some Old Houses

[Erik in NJ]

Hi, I found these three items last week where some old houses from the late 1700's - early 1800's were demolished - the old barn still stands and dates back to the 1830's or so.

The torroid object is somewhat crudely made and so is asymmetrical - I believe it's made of lead and has a nice white patina. The flat object is also heavy and I thought it was lead, but the patina is a different color than what I would have expected. It's been manually holed near the center and crimped on both sides near the bottom.

The last item I believe is either copper or brass and has a faint "NO" near the top and then what appears to be manually stamped digits. It's holed and blank on the back.

I'd greatly appreciate any feedback on what these items might have been used for.

Thanks, Erik

 

[GoGoGopher]

Last item is a tool tag I believe, and the other may have been a lead seal, the first one...I have no idea...

HH,

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thanks - what exactly is a tool tag? Also I don't see any wire coming out of the seal or any lettering on it....any ideas what it would have sealed?

 

[Ant]

Last item is a tool tag I believe, and the other may have been a lead seal, the first one...I have no idea...

HH,

Dito what GoGoGopher said.

 

[Jim West Pa]

n/t

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi - I see them referred to as Tool Ckecks on eBay - any idea how they were used of what they actually did? Thanks for any info!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi Jim, that was my first thought about the flat one but would have expected 2 holes no? What about the donut shaped item - did they make them like that? Thanks

 

[turtlefoot]

Is the first item a "lead head" off of an old lead headed roofing nail? It looks similar to one that I found a while back near a barn that dated from the 1870's.

Here is the link to the post I made concerning the one that I found. http://www.findmall.com/read.php?40,1030176,1030176#msg-1030176

Hope it helps.

Doug

 

[GoGoGopher]

Tool tags are used in industry to mark tools in tool cribs...it is a way to keep track of who signs out what tool...

HH,

 

[JohnnyI]

Eric, your first is what's called a net weight. they were manufactured both round and cylindrical. The second is an old style fishing sinker.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thanks Johnnyl for the ID - I'm assuming that net weight which is shaped like a plump dougnut was used on a fishing net, no? Also the other item - is it really an old style fishing weight? Any idea what period it might be from? I've seen all kinds of junk used as weights, but was this a traditional type during a certain period?

Thanks, Erik

 

[JohnnyI]

Hi eric. I'm not sure of the fishing weight's date. I've found many of them, but never that deep so I would assume not older than late 19th-early 20th century. The net weights can be sometimes be very old however, the oldest ones being hand formed. Your's is most likely 19th century.

 

[fowlercharles]

I would say the top two are two different style lead heads off metal roofing nails. You can determine pretty much where an old house was when you find those lead heads all lined up in a row. Of course an abundance of nails thereabouts will be even more proof of the location. Other thingy is most likely a tool chip.

 

[fowlercharles]

The Lead Heads are likely from a later date,around 1900, and could have been used in updating much older structures, so don't let that confuse your timeline to the 1830's.

 

[fowlercharles]

Erik, many places of employment had (and still do) tool rooms/crib where they keep "the not so run of the mill" tools/specialty tools,etc. Workers can go there and check these tools out for use and are required to turn in one of their previously issued and recorded (name and number)"chips" for each tool checked out., This way the tool room man is able to know who has what tool and are thus held responsible for it. The tool room man simply hangs each tool chip on a nail on a big board, and when a tool is returned the chip is returned to the worker. Just a simple way of keeping up with tools and keeping workers accountable for sometimes very expensive tools that may go unattended/ misused/or stolen, by sometimes careless workers. Makes a big difference when a worker can be required to pay for a lost or stolen tool.

 

[johnnynelson]

WORKING IN A MACHINE SHOP FOR EXAMPLE, EMPLOYEES WERE GIVEN TOOL TAGS WHEN EVER THEY NEEDED TO BORROW A TOOL, FROM A TOOL CRIB THEY HAD TO GIVE A TOOL TAG TO THE KEEPER, SO AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY WOULD KNOW WHO HAD THE TOOL