Sunday Beach hunts sterling and silver coin

[Thiltzy]

We had some negative low tides this week end. Got out 2 hours ahead of dead low which was about 6:00 am this morning. I was concentratting on the deep faint signals in hope of finding some old gold.

In about waist deep water my first keeper target turned out to be a 1943 silver War nickle. As I started heading in closer to the wet sand a got a deep wheat penny 1945 and then few steps later in knee deep water got another faint deep signal that turned out to be an old ring that was a dark black but I thought that it was probably a junk ring as I could not id any marking but I placed it in my keeper pouch just in case.

A few iron targets later, I got a very faint signal that I could have easily passed over and it turned up in the scoop as a very black encrusted disc shape target about the size of a pocket watch. Man was it deep...turns out to be an old sundial that is so cool looking and I think its solid brass or bronze and pretty heavy in weight. Last target of the day turned up as a 1921 Buffalo that was pretty deep as well.
Thanks for looking and Happy water hunting
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[del]

hey Thiltzy , could you post a few more pictures of the sundial?? try to get the lighting so the sundial is most like the actual color and post atleast one of the back. any writing you can make out on it and it looks like theres two square holes on either side of the gnomon (slanted part) . are you sure it brass and not pewter ??its a very interesting item.

Dan

[del]

now that i look at it more Thiltzy i believe its a colonial cast pewter sundial and from the type of nail holes in it i would say it could be from 1770's to about the early 1800's . pewter will flake away at the edges when it starts to dry out ( and you won't have much when it done drying out) to prevent this i would recommend a few things . 1. spraying it with airysol hairspray from the can the glue in the hairspray will keep it together (spray the edges good) . or 2. you could mix elmers glue and water and dip it to seal it . 3. painting a clear laquer over it will work too .

[Thiltzy]

hey Thiltzy , could you post a few more pictures of the sundial?? try to get the lighting so the sundial is most like the actual color and post atleast one of the back. any writing you can make out on it and it looks like theres two square holes on either side of the gnomon (slanted part) . are you sure it brass and not pewter ??its a very interesting item.

Dan

Here are some more pics Dan...what are you thinking on this item:huh: :thinkingabout:

[del]

Hey Thiltzy , in the highlighted area you have to look real good to see if you see a set of initials or a date or year either casted or engraved in that circled area.

[Thiltzy]

I can not make anything out in that area Dan. It is too encrusted in that section. If there is something there then it's covered up.
The more I look at it, the more uneven all the design looks. It sure seems to be hand made

[CODY]

That is a great find.

[Relic Whisperer]

Those are some awsome beach finds. Congrats.

[del]

I can not make anything out in that area Dan. It is too encrusted in that section. If there is something there then it's covered up.
The more I look at it, the more uneven all the design looks. It sure seems to be hand made


it looks just like the cast pewter type Thiltzy that were very prevelant during the mid 1700's to about 1840's , the moulds were made and engraved all by hand then the molten pewter poured into the moulds . so there should be a set of intials on it by who had made it and maybe a date-year when it was done . take good care of it as these can be more fragile than they look. the brass ones i've seen don't look quite the same as the cast pewter ones which i'm sure you have . its a great find my friend :perfect10: :perfect10:

Dan


heres a couple of examples i've researched
this first one is almost halfway down the page
http://antiquepewtershop.com/page17.html

http://www.gibsonpewter.com/blog/2010/04/10/an-american-sundial/

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/752516

[aloldstuff]

WOW, that sundial is an awesome find |:cheering: :perfect10: :clapping:. Let us know if you can get a date or some initials off of it.

[Thiltzy]

it looks just like the cast pewter type Thiltzy that were very prevelant during the mid 1700's to about 1840's , the moulds were made and engraved all by hand then the molten pewter poured into the moulds . so there should be a set of intials on it by who had made it and maybe a date-year when it was done . take good care of it as these can be more fragile than they look. the brass ones i've seen don't look quite the same as the cast pewter ones which i'm sure you have . its a great find my friend :perfect10: :perfect10:

Dan


heres a couple of examples i've researched happydance02

this first one is almost halfway down the page
http://antiquepewtershop.com/page17.html

http://www.gibsonpewter.com/blog/2010/04/10/an-american-sundial/

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/752516

Wow Dan! That is so interesting... I am very grateful for your research and time. You did not have to and I truly appreciate it. Should I just soap and water it since its been in the ocean for a few hundred years? I have little to no experience with a relic like this

[buck57]

:wow:. Awesome finds Thiltzy. :perfect10:

[Ill Digger]

Wow! :wow: Those are some nice finds! thumbsup01
I never would've guessed the sun dial would've been that old :dontknow: :crazy:
Leave it to Dan to pick-out the and ID these great relics |:confused:) :cheering:
Congrats! :grin:

[del]

Wow Dan! That is so interesting... I am very grateful for your research and time. You did not have to and I truly appreciate it. Should I just soap and water it since its been in the ocean for a few hundred years? I have little to no experience with a relic like this


see in the one picture it looks very grey on the edge (far right side) like the metal started to flake away or chipped off . this is where the sundial will be most fragile (the edges) take care of them (use one of the methods i metioned up top) or the rest of the piece will get dried out , brittle away keep it in a small container ( ryker box , special case or whatever) that you can show it off with out handling it too much .

[Merc]

:wow: Fantastic find. very unique item. :perfect10:

[Thiltzy]

:wow: Fantastic find. very unique item. :perfect10:
This is why I love this hobby....you just never know what your going to uncover.
Thanks for all the comments from everyone. :grouphug:

[Thiltzy]

see in the one picture it looks very grey on the edge (far right side) like the metal started to flake away or chipped off . this is where the sundial will be most fragile (the edges) take care of them (use one of the methods i metioned up top) or the rest of the piece will get dried out , brittle away keep it in a small container ( ryker box , special case or whatever) that you can show it off with out handling it too much .
yeah I see what you mean Dan. I will seal it tonight probably use the hairspray or elmer glue.
How many parts glue to water ratio would be good?

[del]

yeah I see what you mean Dan. I will seal it tonight probably use the hairspray or elmer glue.
How many parts glue to water ratio would be good?


don't do both techniques just one of the above should be find , if you use the elmers glue method just remember to use just enough water to submerge the item into. mix the glue so the water looks similar to milk in color. let it sit for a few minutes in it and then put on something that it won't stick to real bad , like a paper towel or the like because it will glue it to the item .

Dan

[Fire Fighter 43]

Congrats on some nice finds, WTG |:cheering:

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

that is so cool! I hairspray my pewter items.fast and easy!

[CousinEddie]

That sundial is an AMAZING savE!!!!! :perfect10:

[Thiltzy]

that is so cool! I hairspray my pewter items.fast and easy!
Yup.... I Hung it with fishing line and coated it with hairspray

[Sal66]

:perfect10: Wow ! Nice find. I totally agree with Dan on it being pewter. I had a nice Button once and the whole edge was flaking. It looked like a delaminated piece of plywood. I used the Elmers glue method and it held well. It came out more like a wax substance when it dried. I also used the same method on the back of a Rusted Civil War 2 piece Button and it's been over 5 years and it's still holding. It sealed it tight protecting it from the air and stopped the corrision process. I never heard of the Hairspray Method, but thanks for the tip Dan. I'll have to try that one on a RF Badge thats rusty.
Congrats again and I hope you find out more about it. I would check with a Historical Society from that area. Maybe ther was a known Shipwreck that it came from, you never know. |:cheering: