For Crusader - pics of the early colonial pipe tamper that my friend Stan found

[Bill D. (VA)]

I remember when Stan dug this awesome pipe tamper 2-3 years at the pit where all the bottle seals have been coming from, but had forgotten about it until Crusader recently found his and asked me to post Stan's. If anyone can provide any info on Stan's tamper, especially the age, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm also re-posting better pics of the 2 seals I found at this same spot on Friday. Like I mentioned earlier, we believe at least one of these represents the family crest or coat of arms for the Chicheley family. Sir Henry Chicheley was a royalist during the English Civil War and after his imprisonment he was banished to Virginia based on the terms of his parole. He went on to become a prominent and influential person in the colonies, and eventually became the lieutenant governor of VA from 1678-82. We believe this is about the time when the seals and the pipe tamper were deposited at this location. I sent a request to the College of Arms in London trying to get assistance in ID'ing the 2 seals, but apparently they charge a fairly hefty fee for that service unless someone happens to recognize the seal without having to do the research. I was told they have hundreds of thousands of items in their database, but that it's not computerized. That's hard to believe in this day and age. If anyone else can direct me to a website that can help with ID'ing these seals that would be great. But based on all the searching I've done it doesn't look like there's anything out there (that's free).

 

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[oldsalty19]

sry no help on the seals......but very interesting....have you tried just "Googling" British seals

 

[CRUSADER]

UK Finds Database - - - UKDFD
UK Finds Database - - - UKDFD
Record ID: ESS-FE21B0 - POST MEDIEVAL pipe tamper - Database
Record ID: HAMP-7F7E70 - POST MEDIEVAL pipe tamper - Database

The problem is that the George & the Dragon design was popular from the mid-17th C all the way though to the present. The UKDFD give it a wide dating & the PAS say 18th C. If I were going to place it, I would have confirmed your context finds & put it at about 1680-1750.
I brought an example of this type to display & its one of the more common types to be found & it is in Gordan Baileys book, maybe others.

PS. I just remembered that I had one & gave it to a US Friend as a leaving gift, as he smoked a pipe & would use it. (thats why I got a replacement to display)

 

[tennessee digger]

I love that Bill. Hard to find little relic. Tennessee digger

 

[John Boy]

Man,I sure like that pipe tamper

 

[jewelerguy]

that tamper is sweet

 

[birdman]

That is a really nice find with a story to tell I am sure.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

UK Finds Database - - - UKDFD
UK Finds Database - - - UKDFD
Record ID: ESS-FE21B0 - POST MEDIEVAL pipe tamper - Database
Record ID: HAMP-7F7E70 - POST MEDIEVAL pipe tamper - Database

The problem is that the George & the Dragon design was popular from the mid-17th C all the way though to the present. The UKDFD give it a wide dating & the PAS say 18th C. If I were going to place it, I would have confirmed your context finds & put it at about 1680-1750.
I brought an example of this type to display & its one of the more common types to be found & it is in Gordan Baileys book, maybe others.

PS. I just remembered that I had one & gave it to a US Friend as a leaving gift, as he smoked a pipe & would use it. (thats why I got a replacement to display)

Thanks for all the links Cru. The last one seems to be the closest match, but like you said these were made over a long period of time so there's no way to narrow down the date. I guess we'll have to be satisfied with estimating it to be about the same age as the other finds coming from the pit (mid-1600s to very early 1700s). Cool find regardless.

By the way, the College of Arms didn't immediately recognize either of the seals and wanted around $150 to do the research on just one seal without any guarantee they could find it in their database. Are you aware of any free online database that has extensive info on coats or arms or family crests? I've looked high and low with no success. Thanks again for all your help ..... Bill

 

[CRUSADER]

I'm sure you know this, but as the pipe bowls got larger, so did the pipe tampers (in terms of the dia. of the base). Therefore, if you have any known dated bowls you can check for size.

 

[CRUSADER]

Thanks for all the links Cru. The last one seems to be the closest match, but like you said these were made over a long period of time so there's no way to narrow down the date. I guess we'll have to be satisfied with estimating it to be about the same age as the other finds coming from the pit (mid-1600s to very early 1700s). Cool find regardless.

By the way, the College of Arms didn't immediately recognize either of the seals and wanted around $150 to do the research on just one seal without any guarantee they could find it in their database. Are you aware of any free online database that has extensive info on coats or arms or family crests? I've looked high and low with no success. Thanks again for all your help ..... Bill

No, Coats Of Arms are a very specialist area, & I'm not aware of any good online resource, thats why they can rip you off for finding nothing.

 

[Steve in PA]

That pipe tamper is just too cool.