Can anybody help ID a few items?

T

Tallone

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Sep 4, 2013
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I picked these up yesterday and I'm having trouble identifying some of the details. Perhaps someone can help me fill in the blanks?

DSC04625.JPG
I have identified the Berlin and Hell on Wheels patches. Also, I'm quite sure the other two triangular patches are 4th Armored Division. I think the AA is Airborne? The rest of them are a mystery. Does anybody recognize any of these?

DSC04609.JPGDSC04610.JPG
This little item was in the artist's kit (see my other post of today). I think it is stainless steel. It has a belt clip and the lid looks like it should screw off but it is stuck tight. The brown stuff on the lid might be some kind of pigment but it might be dried blood. I can't imagine what this thing would be.

DSC04622.JPGDSC04623.JPG
Lastly, does anyone recognize the "RS" mark on the back of the bolo tie clasp?

Thanks for your help.
 

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Top right is the Ist Infantry Division, US Army. Known as "The Big Red One"
The eagle is the 101st Airborne Division, US Army (Screaming Eagles)
The USMA is a US Army West Point Military Academy Recondo patch.
The one with the horse is the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment, US Army
 

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The AA is for the 82nd infantry. The rest in no particular order are: The circled A is a 3rd Army sleeve insignia. The eagle and the airborne patch go together. It is for the 101st Airborne. The red one with the sword is an Assistance Command patch. The leaf patch is for the 24 infantry division. The rearing horse is for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. The USMA is a West Point Military Academy Recondo patch. The "big red one" is the 1st Infantry division. Most of these were around in WW2 some of them weren't. You can check them with a black light to help with the age of the material/threading. There are other factors involved also. Here is a link that helps a little bit (just a little)- INTRODUCTION: Dating Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Here is one that helps with the burn test- Using the Burn Test to Identify Fibers in Patches - MISCELLANEOUS / OTHER - U.S. Militaria Forum

The 101st airborne set is probably the best ones if they are from WW2 that is.
Vintage WWII US Army 101st Airborne Div Patch Tab Estate Uniform RARE Insignia | eBay
 

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The red patch with the sword, as dig said, is the Military Assistance Command patch, US Army. I believe was for Vietnam era. Not sure if it was used for other service
 

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I believe the bolo is made by Navajo "Roger Skeets".
 

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The acorn on the bottom left is upside down. Like diggumup said, it is for the 24th Infantry Division
 

Tallone said:
I believe you are correct 2Minnesota. Thanks for the info. I think this piece may be by Roger Skeets, Jr. Here is some more info on father and son:

Roger Skeets Jr., Huge Silver Concho Belt, Signature Skeet

BTW, I also found a very similar bolo tie that recently sold on eBay for $299:

Gents Native American Sterling Silver Zuni Inlaid Turquoise Bolo Tie Southwest | eBay
Click to expand...
You may be correct . I originally thought Zuni because of the multi colored inlay and general style of the piece. I think I mentioned it in Tallone's original thread. It could very well be Roger Skeets jr, or possibly even his father. My books (and the internet) list several RS stamps but none are "exactly" like yours with the little crescent moon hash mark or sterling in script like this piece. However there was a collaboration between Zuni and Navajo artists, C. G. Wallace brought Navajo silver work made by Roger Skeet (sr and jr) to be inlaid by Zuni artists. Even today Zunis will be asked to do the inlay on some Navajo silver pieces. That is why you will have Navajo stamped pieces that look like Zuni pieces. They are kind of like hybrid pieces since they were made with the cooperation of artists from both tribes. I just wish I could find that exact stamp somewhere but I can't.
 

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diggummup said:
You may be correct . I originally thought Zuni because of the multi colored inlay and general style of the piece. I think I mentioned it in Tallone's original thread. It could very well be Roger Skeets jr, or possibly even his father. My books (and the internet) list several RS stamps but none are "exactly" like yours with the little crescent moon hash mark or sterling in script like this piece. However there was a collaboration between Zuni and Navajo artists, C. G. Wallace brought Navajo silver work made by Roger Skeet (sr and jr) to be inlaid by Zuni artists. Even today Zunis will be asked to do the inlay on some Navajo silver pieces. That is why you will have Navajo stamped pieces that look like Zuni pieces. They are kind of like hybrid pieces since they were made with the cooperation of artists from both tribes. I just wish I could find that exact stamp somewhere but I can't.
Click to expand...

I think you were dead on with Zuni.
 

randazzo1 said:
I think you were dead on with Zuni.
Click to expand...
So you think it isn't a Skeets piece?





Tallone- You should be soaking that metal thing in some type of lubricant or wd-40 for several days to a week. Then try taking it off. It works for me usually. Just use a rag or something soft over your pliers when you try to take the lid off again so as not to damage the lid. I don't know what it is but I want to.
 

diggummup said:
So you think it isn't a Skeets piece?

Tallone- You should be soaking that metal thing in some type of lubricant or wd-40 for several days to a week. Then try taking it off. It works for me usually. Just use a rag or something soft over your pliers when you try to take the lid off again so as not to damage the lid. I don't know what it is but I want to.
Click to expand...

I think it is Zuni. I meant "dead on" like in "dead on accurate". I don't know about Skeets. I don't see any inlay work like that by him and I agree the signature does not match (at least in the Hallmarks of the Southwest compendium).
 

randazzo1 said:
I think it is Zuni. I meant "dead on" like in "dead on accurate". I don't know about Skeets. I don't see any inlay work like that by him and I agree the signature does not match (at least in the Hallmarks of the Southwest compendium).
Click to expand...

Yeah I haven't seen any inlay work either by him.

I was just going by what I was reading about the collaboration between Roger Sr. and C.J. Wallace on the Perry Null website. Roger Skeets Jr., Huge Silver Concho Belt, Signature Skeet
I meant that he possibly done the silver work and an unknown Zuni artist did the lapidary work. But I think may have misunderstood the collaboration part. I don't think it was done the way I fisrt comprehended it. I think he just sold items that were made by both tribes and that was the only "collaboration". Besides, most of that particular jewelry was made pre WW2 and much of it wasn't even signed, especially with a "sterling" mark.

I did find a couple rings with an almost identical mark minus the crescent moon hash mark. Maybe that mark is from the stamp tool itself and not actually part of the "signature stamp"? Although the initials are still unidentified.
Vintage Zuni Sterling Silver Exquisite Mosaic Inlay Ring Signed RS Sz 11 19gr | eBay

Fine Native American Zuni Sterling Turquoise Coral Lapis Signed R s 19 Grams | eBay
 

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I wondered if the crescent was an inadvertent mark left by the edge of the stamping tool.

I will probably soak the little round silver thingy in some hot water to see if I can loosen the lid. I'm hoping the contents (if there are any) will give me a clue as to what this thing is.
 

I wondered if the crescent was an inadvertent mark left by the edge of the stamping tool. The "Sterling" mark looks very much the same. Both rings exhibit the same alternating black and blue triangle motif as my bolo. I don't know much about jewelry so maybe that is a common pattern and, therefore, doesn't have anything to say about who made it.

I will probably soak the little round silver thingy in some hot water to see if I can loosen the lid. I'm hoping the contents (if there are any) will give me a clue as to what this thing is.
 

Sorry for the double post. Had a little computer hiccup as I was editing the first post.

So... I got the lid off the little silver thing. A few seconds exposure to Liquid Wrench freed it right up.

DSC04742.JPG

The substance within has the color and viscosity of motor oil but it has an aroma of pine. My theory is that this is a container for an organic solvent that would clip on to the side of a palette. When using oil based paints, the artist could dip a brush into the solvent to remove the paint. I'm guessing this oily-feeling substance used to be turpentine (a product of pine sap) which has, over years of gentle exposure to the heat in a closed up garage, slightly evaporated and condensed to produce a change in the color and viscosity. The color might be the result of residual pigment from brush cleaning the last time this was used.

What do you think? Good theory? I have looked at web sites with artist supplies but I can't find anything like this available these days. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place.
 

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Tallone said:
Sorry for the double post. Had a little computer hiccup as I was editing the first post.

So... I got the lid off the little silver thing. A few seconds exposure to Liquid Wrench freed it right up.

View attachment 1031296

The substance within has the color and viscosity of motor oil but it has an aroma of pine. My theory is that this is a container for an organic solvent that would clip on to the side of a palette. When using oil based paints, the artist could dip a brush into the solvent to remove the paint. I'm guessing this oily-feeling substance used to be turpentine (a product of pine sap) which has, over years of gentle exposure to the heat in a closed up garage, slightly evaporated and condensed to produce a change in the color and viscosity. The color might be the result of residual pigment from brush cleaning the last time this was used.

What do you think? Good theory? I have looked at web sites with artist supplies but I can't find anything like this available these days. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place.
Click to expand...
I'd say that is a pretty good theory myself. It's called a pallette cup. There is a single and a double here about 2/3 down the page on the left- http://www.guerrillapainter.com/accessories.html
 

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