✅ SOLVED Brass Jaw?

[Daftly]

This was one of my first weird finds, it was about 8" down. The back was facing up when I turned over the plug, it was flat and had an odd shape. When I turned it over I had to take a few steps back because I wasn't sure what I had found, it looked like someone's jaw. I took a few shots with it still in the ground before picking it out of the soil, as I held it I knew that it couldn't be human remains because it was so heavy. I washed it up a bit but it was coated with a thick green material. I scrapped some of it off on the back side, the metal that shown was a brass color, of course I wished it was gold but I doubt it. I took it to a local dentist to ask what he may think it was and he said he had never seen anything like it and the best he could make of it was it may have been use for teaching. Does anyone know what this is or what it may have been used for? Thank's for your help!

 

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[ARC]

Wow... now that is different... way cool and creepy at the same time... heh

 

[kingskid1611]

certainly is interesting. I would think teaching or some kind of model or mold. But what do I know. It's a keeper even if a little macabre.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I presume it was used a s a simple paper weight in a dentist office. That sure is one unique find.

Merry Christmas and HH

 

[jewelerguy]

I would imagine that was a cast made from an impression, and one step in the process of making dentures or a partial. Probably dates back to the 1930's or 40's

 

[calisdad]

Welcome to T-Net!

That sure is a jaw dropping find (ungh). I think Your dentist nailed it.

 

[Old Dude]

That may just be the most unusual thing I have seen posted on Tnet.

 

[Subterranean]

Has my vote for Bizarre find of the Year for TNet. I concur once again with Loco Digger, it was a paper weight in a dental office. No other reason to make it out of brass! Sub

 

[CoilyGirl]

Imagine if it was a real jaw,all you would have to do to feign surprise is to slightly open your mouth and your jaw would fall wide open! Pretty creepy find.

 

[Crappies-n-Coins]

Belonged to that guy "Jaws" from the James Bond Movie

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

28 toother? By the age of eighteen, the average adult has 32 teeth. A small percentage (like me) only ever have 28.

In my case I am sans a premolar all around. I went through the wisdom teeth eruption enjoyment.

Evolution baby

 

[Daftly]

Thanks for all the interest in my find. The local dentist I took it to said he didn't know why it would be made out of Brass, that there were cheaper materials that could of been used. I would lean towards a Paper Weight or some sort of First Mold Memento but I'll keep this open for bit longer to see if anyone else can confirm or add to the subject.

Side note, where this was found I had been finding other objects that would suggest an Old Pharmacy may have been on the property. I found a Three Marry Widows Condom Tin and a small Glass Vile labeled New Boston Drug Co. New Boston Tx.

 

[peeboo]

Wow. That's a keeper for sure. A unique find to say the least!

 

[2Minnesota]

Are there threads in the holes where the teeth are missing? Most typodonts used for teaching have a full set of teeth. But, dentists will make their own to educate patients on certain procedures. If there are threads it could be to show implant crown placements into the implants. I have worked in dentistry since 1991 and have never seen anything like it before. It's pretty interesting. Just can't figure out why the holes and why some teeth are missing, and some missing teeth have holes in the roots. Could've been to show people the canals in the teeth (for root canal procedure education) Hmmmm

Edit: taking a second look, the first molar appears to have been prepped for a crown. I'm thinking for sure it was for patient education. Why brass? Who knows? Cool piece!

 

[relic lover]

I would imagine that was a cast made from an impression, and one step in the process of making dentures or a partial. Probably dates back to the 1930's or 40's

I totally agree my theory is that the dentist had a famous patient and decided to memorialize their plaster cast in bronze as a paperweight it. That could be Albert Einstein's teeth lol

 

[unclemac]

My dad trained as a dentist back in the olden days. He had models like that (not in brass of course) but I do remember that in those days dentists were also trained in artist techniques like lost wax. My father made gold castings because he had access to materials and the knowledge to do it. I expect that any dentist of a certain era could have made that object.

 

[Daftly]

Sorry I was away for the holiday and then fell sick. Thank's again for all the help, I think 2Minnesota's idea might be right on and I'm going to mark this as solved. Due to the item's location with other pharmacy stuff I've found and the fact the artifact has some teeth readied for dental procedures, it does make the most sense that this was used for demonstration or sales purposes, though it's still odd it is solid brass. Thank's again 2Minnesota!

 

[Beach925]

Could it maybe have been made as a teaching aid for University or something? Might explain why its made of brass as it would be handled a fair bit by students and less likely to break than plaster or some other materials.

Cool find either way.

 

[Beach925]

Search google for the following:

Brass Vintage Columbia Dentoform

Some similar looking items.