Interesting metal detecting finds

[George111]

Found this yesterday

I think it could be a horse bridal decoration maybe medieval? missing a glass or agate stone centre piece its gold gilt and looks enameled

its got a flat metal bit on the back which may of clipped onto/behind the leather straps? tip to toe its about 2 1/2 inch's

[George111]

The other side

[TomGoodheart]

Not my area, but my guess would be later (Late 18th, early 19th Century?) and that the central part was an enamelled coat of arms. 

Purpose?  Maybe decoration on some Duke's carriage horse?  I wonder if the bit you have might have been 'mass produced' which could then be personalised by the additional Arms.

Just an idea...

[George111]

That sounds logical and probably right

[George111]

I found this the other day too I believe this is a "loom" weight it weighs 15 oz's and going by the lead sulphate deposits on it has been in the ground a long time maybe roman/medieval? 

[George111]

Coin is a modern 1p for scale

[jelida]

Impossible to date accurately by style and function, though I agree the Lead Carbonate patina suggests a good age, could be anything from Roman to C18, and have performed one of many functions through loom weight, steelyard weight, trade weight, net weight and I'm sure  there are dozens more possibilities . It is quite large, and the nearest in size that I have came from a Roman site.

 

Jerry

[George111]

Sorry I've made a mistake after another look the deposits are more likely to be lime mortar so its probably not a loom weight its more likely to be a builders plumb bob

[George111]

Lead "pan" merchants weight also found in the last couple of days

[Coinery]

13 hours ago, George111 said:

The other side

Wouldn't a harness dressing have something more substantial to hold it on, like a complete loop, perhaps, rather that a 'clip', for want of a better word? I can't imagine that remaining attached for very long?

Is there any possibility it could be some kind of applet for a uniform?

http://www.icollector.com/Polish-Army-2nd-corps-metal-Exile-badge_i12174209

[TomGoodheart]

Yes.  A household badge for a servant would also make sense.  Perhaps one of those fancy 'flunky' type footmen or coachmen that would be seen out and about town on their master's (or mistress') business?

.

[George111]

That sound right coinery

It could be a fancy page book marker  for the owners bible

[George111]

Set of false teeth made of lead  you can just see the remaining part of the iron spike which would of been hammered into the jaw bone

[Nordle11]

Looks like the gnashers Jaws had in Moonraker

[Paulus]

4 hours ago, George111 said:

Set of false teeth made of lead  you can just see the remaining part of the iron spike which would of been hammered into the jaw bone

 

Blimey, wonder how long the recipient of that thing would have remained healthy!

[Rob]

I can't see how they could be as described. You could bite through lead sheet (not that I would suggest you try). Lead is simply too soft to be used for any mechanical tool. Using it to enclose something is ok because you can easily beat the sheet into a sealed container. 50/50 solder is soft too. You would have to make the lead content minimal to give any meaningful resistance to wear.

[jelida]

I'm afraid I dont see the item as false teeth either, and cant find anything similar on the net. Look much too deep, poorly shaped,  no clear articular or gum surface,  and softness and weight would have been impractical. Denture making was always a skilled profession, most simply went without.

Jerry

 

[George111]

https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/79170

[jelida]

Well I never, good link, you learn something new every day!

Certainly the contours of the PAS one do suggest how it might have fitted the gum, though I wonder how practical they were- you'd have to be desperate!

Jerry

[George111]

I cant find the actual object at the minute but I'm sure the part that can be seen poking out is square and made of iron which tappers the same as old hand made nails did

[Rob]

I wonder if it might be a template to make a mould. The lead could be moulded inside the mouth without falling to pieces when removed. Put clay around it and cut the mould in half to remove the lead, you could then rejoin it and fill it with gold or silver. This would overcome the softness problem with the lead. I still find it difficult to believe there is any merit in using lead for a permanent fixture. How many corpses have been found with a lead set in place? People have used gold and silver since ancient times.

[Rob]

Further to the template theory, the only people likely to indulge in such a luxury would probably have sufficient funds to permit silver at the very least.

[George111]

So they made a mould of some H shaped teeth then filled that mould with lead then make a mould using the lead as a template to make a mould to pour gold or silver into  

[Rob]

It strikes me that you need to make a template resembling the desired shape in a soft material before making something more permanent. Lead is unquestionably soft and more so than gold which would make it the ideal material given the need to manipulate it.

Nobody is going to make a mould the right shape given every mouth would be different, but an approximate fit can be adjusted to suit if soft enough. Lead would also be rigid enough to maintain the right shape when removed from the mouth. Modern day luxuries such as quick setting resins or cements are not likely to have been available, so any template would have to be made from a material that was both malleable and semi-rigid.

Just my thinking out loud.

[George111]

There has been other examples found in other parts of the country and deemed to be used as teeth not as a mould to make teeth

  

https://finds.org.uk/database/search/results/q/DENTAL+IMPLEMENT