RR Tag? Solved

[FatCat]

I found this tag a few weeks ago and am thinking that it is a baggage tag. I know there was a Nashville Memphis RR line in the mid to late 1800s and the tag was found at a CW camp/old home site. Can anyone tell me for sure what it is and what it might be worth? It appears to be brass and about 2.5 X 1.5 inches. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

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[CKaufman]

Re: RR Tag?

sure looks like one to me. i'm sure someone knows the value.

 

[Mackaydon]

Re: RR Tag?

I don't believe this railroad's tracks reached Memphis till just after the CW--if that helps with a date.

 

[Bramblefind]

Re: RR Tag?

I'm not exactly sure what to make of this but here is what I found-

New York City Directories - all listed under Railroad Findings type businesses

1856 Taulman & Low 66 Broadway

1857 Taulman & Low 157 B'Way

1857-58 Taulman, Low & Cook 9 S. William

Then an advertisment in the Chicago City Directory

1859 Taulman's Railroad Supply Agency Late Taulman, Low & Cook No. 7 South William St., New York

So based on that I would narrow this tag down to a small period of time circa 1857-1859. I don't know what to make of the evidence that there was not a direct line between Memphis and Nashville until a later date. I believe the cities were connected by railroad in the 1850s via the Nashville & Chattanooga and Memphis & Charleston lines. These lines met in Stevenson, Alabama.

I would think this is a very rare tag - I really don't have any expertise in that area though.

 

[FatCat]

Re: RR Tag?

Thank you for all your input. I still would like to find out the value. Are there any books or web sites someone would suggest? Thanks again for the input.

 

[Bramblefind]

Re: RR Tag?

Maybe this site can provide some help for you-

http://www.tagtown.net/civilwar.html

 

[FatCat]

Re: RR Tag?

Thank you for all of your help.

 

[Ripcon]

I found this tag a few weeks ago and am thinking that it is a baggage tag. I know there was a Nashville Memphis RR line in the mid to late 1800s and the tag was found at a CW camp/old home site. Can anyone tell me for sure what it is and what it might be worth? It appears to be brass and about 2.5 X 1.5 inches. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I know this is 9 years late but I dug an identical railroad baggage tag in Mississippi. Mine has the number 1919 on it instead of 2039. But yes, yours is a railroad baggage tag and I recently discovered that the Taulman Low & Cook tags are very rare indeed. They were made in only one year - 1858. Although there was not a direct rail line that connected Memphis with Nashville. The two names are indicative of the city of origin and the city of destination NOT the name of the rail lne. These are very rare and I say congratulations on your find. I was excited to know about mine as well.
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