Waterbury token

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[DigginThePast]

Waterbury CT was known as "The Brass City".

Waterbury Brass Company was one of the many companies located there during roughly the later 1800's to mid 1900's.

Have to search for token info.

 

[DigginThePast]

Was thinking....uh oh.

Anyway, the hole in your piece and the 16 stamped on it. I wonder if it wasn't to identify a set of keys for that company, mail receptacle perhaps. A cursory look doesn't show any tokens.

 

[Mackaydon]

On Dec. 14, 1899 several companies, including Waterbury Brass, merged to become the American Brass Commpany so your item must predate that date.
Source: http://www.thelampworks.com/lw_companies_wallace.htm
Don...

 

[fatsmahoney]

I would also say it is not a token and probably a tag for a set of keys or maybe employee i.d tag

 

[ivan salis]

might be a employee ID chit * used to clock in and out of work and as a "tool check" as well

tool check -- to "check out" a tool one turned over his empolyee chit which had his number on it --upon return of the tool -- the chit was "returned" --this kept tool theft down and held employee's accountible for the tools they were using (so that way they did not leave the tools just "laying" around where they might get stolen - since they would have to make the loss good )-- the hole in the chit was used to put the chit on a nail in the "tool crib" where the tool boss issued out the tools at -- the chit hung on the nail by where the tool "belonged" on the wall while the tool was in use by the employee , until the chit was reclaimed by returning the tool.

another way chits were used was --if one had lots of empolyees , as the workers checked in each morning for work at the factory they showed their chits --and as they left at days end they showed them again --it was recorded by chit numbers at what time chit number say 16 clocked in and out -- thus they knew who worked and how many hours that way they could easily figger out pay roll -- by doing this it allowed the employees to go directly to work * and the chit number taker could take rapidly record the folks that came to work --without delaying the workmen from going "straight" to work.

a numbered keyring fob for the factory -- marked to let folks know it opened a certain door / gate --is also a valid possiblity

 

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Thanks for the replies! You have reaffirmed my hunch.

So, the Waterbury Brass Co. made generic blank (on one side) "coins" that maybe some other company in the center of Canada ordered and used for their own purposes as a token, chit, I.D. or key fob?

Could also have belonged to an American immigrant or I know from research that there were many local settlers that volunteered to fight in the civil war during the slow bison hunting times.

I found 2 nice gilded civil war period eagle buttons at this site as well as other mid-19th century finds and this was the only other American item.

There was definitely an American presence there.

I know that this forum would be the best place to get a possible i.d.

Is it alright that I leave it running for a day or two in case someone else recognizes this before I give it a green check?

Cheers.

 

[Bramblefind]

I don't know what it is but I found something like it once - It was for the Holmes Booth & Haydens Company and from what I found of them they made oil lamps. This company was related to the Waterbury Brass Co.- both based and Waterbury, Ct. and had some shared history.

Found this blurb on a quick search-

http://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/showitem.cgi?catid=14602&itemid=189

We offer for your consideration two 1800s Antique Oil Lamps including a Rayo Oil Lamp burner and font from the 1890s and a Nickle plated brass with chimney bearing the makers mark Barries patent August 1875 M & G Corp. Eldorado, for the Waterbury Brass Goods Corporation. They were an offshoot of Holmes,Booth,& Haydens, they continued into the 20th century while HB&H merged with the American Brass Co. in 1901. This one dates to the 1870s. REFERENCES: Oil Lamps II: Glass Kerosene Lamps by Catherine M. V. Thuro, Oil Lamps II: Glass Kerosene Lamps by Catherine M. V. Thuro

*** ETA I see that Don already posted about the possible oil lamp connection

Here's my thread and item-

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,367214.0.html

 

[idahotokens]

My opinion on these is that they were tags wired to one of the company's products, say a roll of sheet brass or a spool of brass wire. The numbers punched on it had some meaning to the company, maybe the "catalog number" or weight/length/gauge of the item it was affixed to. I don't think the tool check, employee ID, or key tag ideas seem to fit since these are found all over the continent rather than localized to the company's location. Like the "Willow Calf" tags that were attached to shoes, the lamp tag pictured above (which probably was to indicate that "what you are buying is a No. whatever lamp), this tag was attached at the factory and detached by the end user. In some cases the factory probably hoped that the end user would keep the piece in his pocket as an advertisement, but few probably were. It reminds me of the aluminum tags wired to rose plants you get at the nursery today.
John in the 208

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

What Idaho says makes sense.

Brass City: http://www.freewebs.com/waterbury-ct/big3.htm

Here is a group of tokens from Heritage Auctions.

Waterbury Brass Co. Rome Iron Works Group Lot of 22 Tokens. Includes pieces from the Holmes Booth Hayden Co. and Brown & Bro... (Total: 22 tokens) I dont know if these excellent pics are copyrighted but they sold in 2006..

View attachment 607181View attachment 607182

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

http://tokencatalog.com/token_recor...56612&attribution_id=105953&td_create_uid=300

 

[ivan salis]

-product ID tag -- if wired to the item then the hole in them makes sense --and the number might be a catalog number --- say a # 16 lamp or whatever --lots of folks used to shop by mail order catalog in the old days --so it was important for what was "ordered" to match up with what was sent --makes good sense especially if these tags with similar numbers are found all over the place -- a similar type item sent to differant places. --the tags are "throw away" bits --or to let you the correct number if you wanted to reorder the exact same item .

 

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Thanks Bramblefind, IdahoTokens, Big C, and Ivan! That's some great information that makes perfect sense.

Seeing that lot of tokens really confirms the product tag theory.

With the wealth of info you all provided I am very satisfied and will green check this.

Thanks again.