metal whatsit?

[maxpower]

hello my ten year old son was playing around with my detector, mostly finding his matchbox cars , when he showed me a metal plate he dug up, says in capt letters NAA est 1904 and has stars and stripes some red/white paint still on it about the size of ones fist any ideas?

 

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[warsawdaddy]

North American Arms?

National Aeronautical Assoc?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Can u post a pic?

 

[maxpower]

yes i will post one when i have the chance. it appears to be copper with maybe silver plate on it? has a makers name one the back looks like J.W. Colonagro Boston hard to read a little dirty.

 

[DCMatt]

yes i will post one when i have the chance. it appears to be copper with maybe silver plate on it? has a makers name one the back looks like J.W. Colonagro Boston hard to read a little dirty.

Possibly J.W. Colgan Co. Boston?

Here is an ebay listing showing a 1912 newspaper ad for custom monogrammed belt pins from his company.

http://cgi.ebay.fr/1912-Moore-fount...906927132QQihZ018QQcategoryZ505QQcmdZViewItem

DCMatt

 

[maxpower]

DCmatt i believe you are correct with the maker.

it appears that it was originally enamaled
metal seems to be copper with silver plate, as the plating can be seen on the reverse.

 

[PBK]

Nice work, DCMatt!

The firm of J. W. Colgan was in business at least as early as 1881, when they received a bronze medal for the manufacture of harness ornaments; and at least as late as 1922, when they were listed in Keystone Publishing Co.'s The Jeweler's Index. Evidently, they were no longer active by 1934, however, as they are not listed in Keystone's Jewelry Trade Mark Book for that year.

 

[maxpower]

PBK thanks, i did find a reference to them making harness ornaments however cannot figure out what NAA is/was?

 

[PBK]

PBK thanks, i did find a reference to them making harness ornaments however cannot figure out what NAA is/was?

I believe that your son's find is an emblem— perhaps an early auto "bumper badge" — of the National Automobile Association, an organization similar to the AAA. The National Automobile Association was organized in 1904 and incorporated in 1909. It was later absorbed by the Boston Motor Club in 1927.

Note the similar logo (shield above the letters NAA) on this NAA yearbook cover from 1911.

​

(This is not the same organization as the current National Automobile Association.)

 

[DCMatt]

PBK thanks, i did find a reference to them making harness ornaments however cannot figure out what NAA is/was?

I believe that your son's find is an emblem— perhaps an early auto "bumper badge" — of the National Automobile Association, an organization similar to the AAA. The National Automobile Association was organized in 1904 and incorporated in 1909. It was later absorbed by the Boston Motor Club in 1927.

Note the similar logo (shield above the letters NAA) on this NAA yearbook cover from 1911.

​

I'll buy that! It ties in the plaque maker's Boston address nicely.

Where was the piece found? Boston area?

Well done PBK (as always).

DCMatt

 

[BuckleBoy]

Good God you guys are good.

 

[maxpower]

thanks folks, yup i believe you guys nailed it, my son will be happy as he already took it to school.
he found it in our back yard along with a brass lock ( letter A within an A)
25 MILES north west of boston or as they pronounce it BAWSTUN