Early "White star ship line" spoon

[K1DDO1979]

Just dug this and it may be a rarer one. From what I can find its a older first class spoon. Hoping someone can date it. It's made by Ellington & co. and it's has the date letter K which makes it a early one. Thanks for looking! [emoji2]

 

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[UnderMiner]

Was it all three? I thought it was just two of them she was on.

Yes, she was on all three, but I made a mistake by saying all three sank, the Olympic merely flooded two compartments when it collided with HMS Hawke in 1911, but the ship survived. Jessop was aboard however and survived. This was the first disaster she was a part of, before the Titanic disaster.

 

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[K1DDO1979]

I sent photo and info to the "SS ATLANTIC heritage park and museum society" and they are positive it's off the ship and are asking if I'd donate it to the museum. What's some of your thoughts on me donating it?

 

[K1DDO1979]

http://www.ssatlantic.com/ssatlantic/history/

 

[Erik in NJ]

SS Atlantic History - The SS Atlantic Heritage Interpretation Park

I just read the whole story including that of Rev. Ancient. Wow! If only that spoon could talk!! I think that is definitely a Banner find and will put my vote in. I think you should feel honored to be able to donate that spoon to their museum. Hopefully they will pay to have the damage from digging it out from under the roots repaired. If you do donate it to the museum please post some follow up pics of it on display there. I hope some day to get to Nova Scotia now to visit that museum and see the spoon.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Oh, BTW thank you for posting the link to the museum--very interesting read and great history lesson. The SS Atlantic is not as infamous as the Titanic, but the story is every bit as compelling (and sad) if not more so.

Banner vote is in!

For those interested:

http://www.amazon.com/SS-Atlantic-White-Line%27s-Disaster/dp/086492528X/?tag=treasurenet01-20

 

[K1DDO1979]

I just read the whole story including that of Rev. Ancient. Wow! If only that spoon could talk!! I think that is definitely a Banner find and will put my vote in. I think you should feel honored to be able to donate that spoon to their museum. Hopefully they will pay to have the damage from digging it out from under the roots repaired. If you do donate it to the museum please post some follow up pics of it on display there. I hope some day to get to Nova Scotia now to visit that museum and see the spoon.

I don't think I ever got a banner nomination before which is cool. It was a really historic marine disaster. Just got over shadowed by the titanic sinking which is understandable. What the titanic sinking is historically to us the ss Atlantic sinking was the people of the past's "titanic". If that makes any sense. [emoji2]

 

[Tnmountains]

Historic find. I would continue to search the area for more possible artifacts. As far as donating to a museum you have to think who might enjoy it more and if current history is any indicator museums can be poor stewards. It may end up locked away to never be seen again or magically disappear .
Just google relics or artifacts missing from museums
or
Google what happened to all the Jamestown artifacts in the flood.

Nice spoon!

 

[Iron Patch]

I sent photo and info to the "SS ATLANTIC heritage park and museum society" and they are positive it's off the ship and are asking if I'd donate it to the museum. What's some of your thoughts on me donating it?

Very cool find!

I would never donate a great find, but I would consider a longtime loan if they wanted to keep it in a locked display case. That to me sounds like a fair balance, and if that offer was rejected then you know it's just more about getting something for free than the purpose of displaying history.

PS: I would not even consider loaning any of my best or fav. finds, because like said in the post above, there's no real guarantee something won't happen if it's not in your possession.

 

[Erik in NJ]

From the back cover of the Greg Cochkanoff book:

"This was the fate of the S.S. Atlantic, the second ship built by the White Star Line. Constructed forty-two years before the RMS Titanic, the S.S. Atlantic completed eighteen trans-Atlantic crossings before running aground off the coast of Nova Scotia on April 1, 1873. The worst trans-Atlantic marine disaster of the nineteenth century, the sinking of the Atlantic killed over half the nearly 1000 people on board."

From a review of the book:

"Excellent photos, drawings and recovered artifacts from the S.S. ATLANTIC that was wrecked off the shores of Halifax, N.S."

I have a copy of the book on order.

 

[Iron Patch]

From the back cover of the Greg Cochkanoff book:

"This was the fate of the S.S. Atlantic, the second ship built by the White Star Line. Constructed forty-two years before the RMS Titanic, the S.S. Atlantic completed eighteen trans-Atlantic crossings before running aground off the coast of Nova Scotia on April 1, 1873. The worst trans-Atlantic marine disaster of the nineteenth century, the sinking of the Atlantic killed over half the nearly 1000 people on board."

From a review of the book:

"Excellent photos, drawings and recovered artifacts from the S.S. ATLANTIC that was wrecked off the shores of Halifax, N.S."

I have a copy of the book on order.

Greg stayed with me a couple of times to do a 2-3 day hunt. Good guy and gone much to soon. I still laugh... every time I would comment how dirty we were getting the car he'd look at me and say.... "It's only a rental."

 

[Erik in NJ]

Did Greg do land detecting too? The About the Author says he was into scuba diving and exploring shipwrecks. Do you know his co-author Bob Chaulk?

 

[Iron Patch]

Did Greg do land detecting too? The About the Author says he was into scuba diving and exploring shipwrecks. Do you know his co-author Bob Chaulk?

Yes, he detected and was a member here, but much more active on the Canadian Detecting forum. I do not know Bob.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/memory/78519-memory-canadian-cossack-tnet-member.html

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/shipwrecks/43695-hms-fantome-wrecksite-pics.html

 

[Erik in NJ]

I hope this find gets a little more love--it's an artifact from the the worst trans-Atlantic marine disaster of the nineteenth century, the sinking of the Atlantic killed over half the nearly 1000 people on board. It's like finding an artifact from the Titanic, except older. If you haven't done so please read the History link provided by the OP...its a fascinating and tragic read. This is a a Banner find folks--like finding something from the Franklin Expedition to find the Northwest Passage.

 

[K1DDO1979]

I hope this find gets a little more love--it's an artifact from the the worst trans-Atlantic marine disaster of the nineteenth century, the sinking of the Atlantic killed over half the nearly 1000 people on board. It's like finding an artifact from the Titanic, except older. If you haven't done so please read the History link provided by the OP...its a fascinating and tragic read. This is a a Banner find folks--like finding something from the Franklin Expedition to find the Northwest Passage.

I'm thinking of putting better pictures up and maybe putting it on "best finds" threads under a different title. I know it's only a plated spoon but I'm glad you see the historical value in it as well. Besides the fact it was on the Atlantic I can't find examples of early first class white star line flatware anywhere but maybe a souvenir spoon of some kind.

 

[jewelerguy]

very cool find

 

[Iron Patch]

I'm thinking of putting better pictures up and maybe putting it on "best finds" threads under a different title. I know it's only a plated spoon but I'm glad you see the historical value in it as well. Besides the fact it was on the Atlantic I can't find examples of early first class white star line flatware anywhere but maybe a souvenir spoon of some kind.

That fact it's plated really doesn't make much difference. Just look at the best of the best military buttons... they are also plated. Sure it was not the best quality spoon on the ship at the time, but that doesn't really make much of a difference because the value is all in the history. Even if it was solid silver and had a makers mark, that would be nice and add a little but I don't think anything close to a game charger for it.

 

[K1DDO1979]

That fact it's plated really doesn't make much difference. Just look at the best of the best military buttons... they are also plated. Sure it was not the best quality spoon on the ship at the time, but that doesn't really make much of a difference because the value is all in the history. Even if it was solid silver and had a makers mark, that would be nice and add a little but I don't think anything close to a game charger for it.

What I could find on all the cutlery on all white star line ships including the titanic is that all the cutlery in first class was top quality silver plate. Not saying there may have been exceptions for very special guests or something but it was the best of the best silver plate. I wonder if that's why it held up so well underground for so long. The maker of the spoon Elkington even invented it. I dug spoons of close to the same age and mostly all had no silver plate left on them. Just the copper base metal.

 

[Iron Patch]

What I could find on all the cutlery on all white star line ships including the titanic is that all the cutlery in first class was top quality silver plate. Not saying there may have been exceptions for very special guests or something but it was the best of the best silver plate. I wonder if that's why it held up so well underground for so long. The maker of the spoon Elkington even invented it. I dug spoons of close to the same age and mostly all had no silver plate left on them. Just the copper base metal.

Well there you go. The fact it's plated doesn't really take anything away from it because that is what would be expected, and anything better would just be a great exception. The quality of the spoon but no doubt the ground conditions and maybe a little luck if you believe that plays a roll in the condition.

 

[Brian C.]

Just dug this and it may be a rarer one. From what I can find its a older first class spoon. Hoping someone can date it. It's made by Ellington & co. and it's has the date letter K which makes it a early one. Thanks for looking! [emoji2]
View attachment 1187900View attachment 1187902View attachment 1187903

You are always finding cool stuff Rick. HH

 

[Erik in NJ]

I have been so focused on the history of this spoon and it being an artifact with provenance from the SS Atlantic that I honestly didn't pay too much attention to the condition of spoon. And yes like the best quality buttons made, the silver-plate is still remarkable--yet another reason why it deserves to be up on the Banner.

I have had very good success with Aluminum Jelly on buttons and spoons really cleaning and bringing out all the detail. Just don't leave it on for very long. With the quality silver-plate that you have here a little baking soda and water will probably do well if you haven't already done so.