Brass Sailors Document Container UPDATE from Museum

[Breezie]

Below in the last few post are the UPDATES on this brass container. The first one is from a professional Appraiser and the second one is an email from the National Maritime Museum in England.

Well, I don't know exactly where to start, but as Glenda Goodwitch said, the best place to start is at the beginning. I bought this item online sight unseen, and thought it might be a Civil War document holder, but when it arrived and I saw it, I realized I have NO CLUE what it is.
Here's what I can tell you about this container. It is solid very thick brass, looks hand-made, lid is very tight, only mark is RUSSELL, measures 9 inches long and is 2 inches in diameter. I scratched an area inside the lid as shown in one of the pics.
I've been buying/selling antiques & collectibles just about all of my adult life, and every now and then, I end up buying a pig in a poke. Is this a pig? Any help, ideas, and WAGs would be appreciated. Thanks! Breezie

 

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[Chug And Red]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

Your title Brought Up A Lot Of Memories I will Have to follow this One and Do some research!!!! HH Chug

 

[Chug And Red]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

Now that I thought about it!!! What is the length of the Tube and the Diameter of It

I don't Know why but Cigar tube comes to Mind!!!! HH Chug

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

I don't know if you got a pig or not.... but I feel it's needed to mention.......My grandfather made all kinds of strange things during his life for any of a million unknown reasons. He had a habit of putting his name on things too. I guess he either just had the stamps to do it, or he wanted it known that whatever it was....he made his own.

My point is, sometimes people made things for what was to them a perfectly obvious reason, while the rest of us might look at it and wonder forever. Your tube might have a neat historically traceable origin, or a guy named Russell might have made it to hold something we will never know....either way, it's why I love weird relics.

 

[Breezie]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

Now that I thought about it!!! What is the length of the Tube and the Diameter of It

I don't Know why but Cigar tube comes to Mind!!!! HH Chug

Hey Chug & Red, thanks for the RSVP. It is 9 1/2 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, so quite large for a stoggie holder.

 

[foundinrolls]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

Could it be a tube for an antique pneumatic mail delivery system?

 

[bill-USA]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

No clue Breezie, but how close to the size of a silver dollar or one of the large old gold coins? Perhaps a cache container?

 

[desertmoons]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

Maybe it is a casket record holder.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Casket-Record-Tube-Brass-Belmont-Record-/290528031046

Used in areas where flooding is a problem. The dead would unbury them selves with heavy rains and the caskets would float away. This decorative piece would hold the paper identity of the deceased flood victim with in the burial instrument to eliminate ID confusion.

 

[Dano Sverige]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

I think you may find that it's missing it's telescope.

 

[Breezie]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

First of all, a huge ole Southern THANK YOU to all who replied, if you were here, I'd fix you some ice cold sweet tea and warm Apple Pie (with vanilla ice cream.) I had searched for days trying to find info about what this could be. After seeing all the ideas of a personal tube, pneumatic mail tube, cache storage, casket record, and telescope holder, I started Googling under images of each one of your suggestions, and then I saw this photo, which led me to this website:
http://www.nmmc.co.uk/index.php?/collections/curators_choice/brass_tube

I'm going to email pics to this museum today, to see if I can get an 'amen.'
Breezie

 

[Bramblefind]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

Awesome Breezie! Good luck with the museum

 

[Breezie]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter! Help please

I believe it maybe a medical supply container. I use to have a much better picture...it holds powder in the shallow area and gauze in the middle

Good Mornin' TT, thanks for your post. I 'think' those med tubes from WWI & WWII had screw on lids instead of friction. I haven't heard from the museum yet, but will post when I do. Breezie

 

[Kevo_DFX]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter!

Reminds me of a military pop flare tube.

http://www.collectablekitbash.co.uk/sm_uploaded_files/product_images/1417.1.jpg

 

[Silver Searcher]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter!



Is the inside a different metal....looks like alloy inside.

SS

 

[fish4walleye]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter!

Russell scientific instruments(I think), now to figure out which instrument came in this tube

 

[Breezie]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter!

Still no word from the UK museum yet, so in the meantime . . . . .

Kevo: Yes, this tube does resemble the military pop flares, but wouldn't they have a primer?

Dano, Bill, Fish: This container is extremely thick and substantial. The telescope containers I've seen are cardboard or wood. I can't find one made of brass like this. Fish, the Russell Scientific Instruments is a good idea; I plan to email them to see if they have ever made a product like this, but it seems strange that a company that large would had emboss their name.

NolaKen, You're right about items that were made by our past generations. I've found a few some mammy made items by my grandparents like that.

SS, The container is solid brass and the coating looks to be some type of solder.

Thanks again, Breezie

 

[traderoftreasures]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter!

looks like a homemade solder flux tube that used to belong to russel he probably was tired of bob getting in his flux... lol

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter!

Info from the Russell Scientific Instruments website: http://www.russell-scientific.co.uk/
"The company has well over 100 years of experience in the design and manufacture of thermometers and specialises in manufacturing thermometers to customers' exact requirements, particularly when a standard product is not suitable. The company is the sole UK manufacturer of Kew and Fortin precision barometers."

In my reply to your email, I mentioned that the "R" in the tube's Russell stamp looked foreign, probably British or French. Turns out the company is located in Norfolk, England. See the contact-info, below.

The company's website has no "Our History" section, but the "well-over-100-years" statement indicates the company has been in business since at least the late 1800s. Send your photos (including the tube's measurements) and see what the company can tell you.
Contact info:
Russell Scientific Instruments Ltd
Rash's Green Industrial Estate, Dereham, Norfolk, NR19 1JG, England.
Tel : Int +44(0)1362-693481 Fax : Int +44(0)1362-698548
Email : sales@russell-scientific.co.uk
Web : www.russell-scientific.co.uk

Here's a possibility for you, from the Russell online catalog. It is a "Stillwell," for use with the Hook Gauge Evaporimeter. The stillwell is listed as being 254mm (10 inches) tall, including its tri-leg base. Minus the base's heighth, it might match your tube's length. http://www.russell-scientific.co.uk...gauge_evaporimeter,i.html?sortBy=FeaturedDesc

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter!

Russell scientific instruments(I think), now to figure out which instrument came in this tube

This is the biggest clue so far and I just noticed. Good thinking fish4walleye.

We need to search for a matching logo stamp. I dont believe the stamp is homemade.

I posted about the same time as you CBG.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: This may be the next chicken coup egg counter!

In my reply to your email, I mentioned that the "R" in the tube's Russell stamp looked foreign, probably British or French. Turns out the company is located in Norfolk, England. See the contact-info, below.

I noticed that too. These are not your usual letter font stamps that a common person would own, esp the R
Could be barometer, hanging scale, thermometer, telescope... http://www.clockrepairrochdale.com/Fortin-Barometer-By-F-Darton(2458742).htm