I bought a box lot at an auction about 8 years ago, this was at the bottom of it. I've looked for info on it on and off over the years but now I'm obsessed with it!
This is what I know: it is rectangle bar of brass that has been milled as one piece then cut in half. I know this by the milling marks. The 2 halves are held together by small pins inside.
There are no marks on the outside but inside it is a die to make a patent tag or something.
In one corner, very tiny, it says-"S.M. Spencer Mfg. Co., 9 Cornhill, Boston, Mass." so I am assuming this is who made it.
The actual patent die says- "Patented, July 16,1907-Feb. 4,1913, Another Pending, L. Tillinghast, Woburn,Mass."
The only info. I can find is that the Spencer Co. used to make brass badges for police and fire back during that time. I can't find any info. about anything else they made.
I'd love to get more info. on this and an approx. value.
Thanks, here's some photos, if you'd like more just let me know.
Re: Brass patent die/mold? Can anyone PLEASE help me??
Cant find a thing on Tillinghast during that time frame. There was a Henry L. TILLINGHAST who was a lithographic and copperplate printer in Providence, R. I. in the late 1800's. Maybe this is his son?
Re: Brass patent die/mold? Can anyone PLEASE help me??
Thank you for the info. This is driving me crazy! I'll dig up somemore Henry. Do you maybe know what this is called? I've just been calling it this for lack of anything else. Also, do you have any idea what catagory something like this would be listed in? I've not seen anything that even comes close to looking like it?
Re: Brass patent die/mold? Can anyone PLEASE help me??
I think it is called a die stamp or single hit die. Catagory hummm.... maybe metal wares, tools.