Soapstone Mold??

[piedmont]

It was an eyeball find near Frederick, Maryland in a field. Currently being used as a doorstop.

Outside dimensions 9"L x 4" W x 3" H

Inside "channel" dimensions 7"L x 2"W x 1 1/2" Deep

weighs 8 Lb 6 oz.

My only guess is some sort of Colonial era mold for molten metal.

 

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[timekiller]

Your guess sounds good! And if it is it's a very neat find.
Take Care,
Pete

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Did you know, the largest gold nugget rock ever found in NC was used as a doorstop as well?
Until they realized what they had...years later!



The life of farmer John Reed would have been long forgotten had it not been for a chance event one Sunday in 1799. On that day Reed’s son Conrad found a large yellow rock in Little Meadow Creek on the Reed farm in Cabarrus County. This rock reportedly weighed seventeen pounds and for three years was used as a doorstop at the Reed house. In 1802 a Fayetteville jeweler identified the gold nugget. He purchased it from Reed for the asked-for price of $3.50.

The following year John Reed began his mining operation by forming a partnership with three local men. The partners supplied equipment and workers to dig for gold in the creek bed, while Reed provided the land. The returns were to be divided equally. The men mined mainly in the off-season from farming, giving first priority to raising their crops. Before the end of the first year, a slave named Peter had unearthed a twenty-eight-pound nugget. Using only pans and rockers to wash the creek gravel, the part-time miners recovered an estimated yield of one hundred thousand dollars by 1824.

Sorry, didn't mean to distract your thread.

 

[timekiller]

Did you know, the largest gold nugget rock ever found in NC was used as a doorstop as well?

I did! But don't remember the story about it to well.Seems like someone came along and brought it from the guy for little into nothing. But I may be getting it confused with another story can't remember that well.

 

[kuger]

Maybe for making lead bars?Soapstone is a fantastic material for molten moulds,as it is highly heat resistant and has a natural wax surface that disallows adhesion.

 

[Lucas]

Maybe for making lead bars?Soapstone is a fantastic material for molten moulds,as it is highly heat resistant and has a natural wax surface that disallows adhesion.

Yes! Soapstone bullet molds are not uncommon in the Eastern U.S.

The what's it would be a good size for lead bars.

 

[Broken knee]

Nice find

Broken Knee

 

[Monty]

Could have been something very common such as a lye soap mold too? Monty

 

[traderoftreasures]

Did you know, the largest gold nugget rock ever found in NC was used as a doorstop as well?
Until they realized what they had...years later!

 

[traderoftreasures]

Maybe for making lead bars?Soapstone is a fantastic material for molten moulds,as it is highly heat resistant and has a natural wax surface that disallows adhesion.

Yes! Soapstone bullet molds are not uncommon in the Eastern U.S.

The what's it would be a good size for lead bars.

Or if you had enough nuggets a gold bar

 

[Lucas]

Could have been something very common such as a lye soap mold too? Monty

Probably not a soap mold, but could be a soap dish. Soap stone soap dish. Say that 5 times fast.

 

[SgtJim]

Nice Find realy interesting piece.
Jim

 

[traderoftreasures]

wonder if they could of baked bread in that sucker?

 

[piedmont]

We initially thought it might be an Indian artifact but it seems too "square" and cut not worn.

My online searching has found that silver and pewter smiths sometimes used soapstone molds. My cousin found it in an area that you wouldnt expect that kind of activity(several miles outside of the oldest portion of Frederick).

Thanks for looking and any other guesses are welcome.