Estate auction find

[Hardcast416taylor]

I went to an estate auction today just to look at several chainsaws. The saws weren`t worth my re-habing them. On a `jewelry wagon`, as we farmers called them, I saw a decent sized box of dirty looking aluminum plates and other items. I checked the bottom hallmark on all these items and sure enough - German hallmarked peweter! So I bided my time and held my breath till the box came up for bids. I couldn`t believe nobody else seemed interested in the `dirty aluminum` dishes the auctioner called it. I won with a $27.00 bid. I got home a short time ago and weighed the box contents, it weighed in at 33 pounds! I think I did okay on this.Robert

[RogerDat]

Ya think? Well if 33# for $27 is "ok" I can't wait to find out what constitutes a "good" score. Figure then we will finally know what color is the goose that lays linotype eggs?
In a word nice job of making your own luck with a good eye.

[John Boy]

Good thing nobody at the auction knew the composition of pewter, usually 85% SN ... so,
33 lbs x 0,85 = 28.05 of SN x $15 a lb = $420.75 less 27 bucks = 393.75 profit! Ya made out like a Tall Dog!

[Bzcraig]

You thief! You stole that

[imashooter2]

You've been here long enough to know the rules. Pics or it didn't happen. ;-)

[leadbutt]

You've been here long enough to know the rules. Pics or it didn't happen. ;-)

Yep. No ghost stories here.

[Traffer]

When I was a small child my dad bought me a wooden whistle. But it wooden whistle. Then he got me a tin whistle....now I tin whistle!
You are in the tin my friend! A good job well done. And you have a story to tell for the rest of your life. Ain't life grand?

[kbstenberg]

Everytime I want something at an auction, 50 others want it also!

[mold maker]

At the last auction, I attended the starting bids were much higher than I would have paid to win. Folks go nuts here to WIN an auction at any price. It becomes more a contest to see who can spend the most money.

[MUSTANG]

Growing up; auctions were a means of acquiring things we needed at a lower cost; and a form of entertainment. I must have been 4 or 5 years old when I had my 1st epiphany on auctions and "Unfair" bidding. I remember tugging on Dad's pants leg and pointing to the rear and saying "Dad, that Guy bidding in the back works for the auctioneer". Dad told me that was one of the things you have to do; Know who is bidding. I also remember pointing out one of the workers on the stage kept pointing out Counter-bids; but no one was bidding where he was yelling and pointing to. Yep, love auctions - but the entertainment is watching people.

[Hardcast416taylor]

You've been here long enough to know the rules. Pics or it didn't happen. ;-)


Well, as I`ve said before here on the site `I`m computer stoopid`! I don`t know how to post pics here. Yes, I know that a picture is worth a thousand words - but first you have to know how to show the picture!Robert

[RogerDat]

Well, as I`ve said before here on the site `I`m computer stoopid`! I don`t know how to post pics here. Yes, I know that a picture is worth a thousand words - but first you have to know how to show the picture!Robert

Use the Go Advanced button at bottom right of box you write your post in, button located between Post Quick Reply and Cancel.
180872

In the Advanced form scroll down the advanced form to Attachments. Click the button Manage Attachments. Brings up pop up window which shows your existing picture uploads and has an +Add Files button in the upper right. This brings up a form to browse your local computer for the image file you want to upload, select the file, then click upload button.
180873


Picture of pewter ingots on a scale in lower left corner of this picture has been added to the insert in message bar. You can see the green +Add Files button upper right corner.
You may after upload have to add the picture to the bar across the bottom of that pop up page by dragging it or checking it's box, however right after upload I think it always gets placed there ready to add.
Once selected by having box checked and being in that bottom bar you simply click Add Inline button located lower right corner to add it to the post.

180871

The item in that screen grab, inserted Inline at the location the cursor is at in the text area when I clicked the Insert Inline button. So BEFORE you go to Manage Attachments and add the pictures put your cursor where you want the picture to appear in the text. If adding several add each one on own line by positioning cursor after picture and hitting enter.
180870

I want to see the haul so I'm willing to help get the big pewter picture up. :-)

[chuckbuster]

Yep. No ghost stories here.

I'll vouch for Robert. Us .416 Guys gotta stick together
K

[Three44s]

Hey, if Robert said it happened .......... IT HAPPENED!

Best regards

Three 44s

[Budzilla 19]

Robert, I would look at those plates closely, you might have one or two in there worth more than scrap tin prices for sure! I got two OLD plates last month, by accident, I dropped one and it shattered like glass! How old they are is not known,but I'm not melting it anytime soon! Lady at store said they were in the shop 40 years ago when she bought the shop, how long before that, who knows? You did perfect!

[imashooter2]

A "pewter" plate that shatters when you drop it isn't pewter.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Robert, I would look at those plates closely, you might have one or two in there worth more than scrap tin prices for sure! I got two OLD plates last month, by accident, I dropped one and it shattered like glass! How old they are is not known,but I'm not melting it anytime soon! Lady at store said they were in the shop 40 years ago when she bought the shop, how long before that, who knows? You did perfect!


As best as I can see with my old eyes ALL the pieces, including the candle stick holders (3), the 2 large tankards with lids, a tankard without a lid, the sugar and cream set, the large tray, a hurricane candle holder and several other serving items bear German hallmarks in German plus stamp markings of content I`m assuming. It was a mid week auction that had little advertisment. Yes Chuckbuster, I can predict some of this pewter/tin will end up in .416 cal. boolets. Should I throw each piece on a concrete floor as hard as possible to see if it will shatter? I`m still attempting to master photo posting, so far I`m still not getting it.Robert

[chuckbuster]

Robert
If you want for now, email me the pictures
K

[omgb]

I gal gave me 790 1 lb ingots of wheel weights and linotype. I've got all the lead I'll ever need.

[imashooter2]

790 pounds is a lifetime supply? Geez man, I hope you live longer than that...

[omgb]

I'm 61

[jsizemore]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/customavatars/avatar294_4.gif

Them Vegans is a stringy lot. I'm sticking to cow.

[lightman]

I have trouble with pictures myself. I have to get my Wife to help me. I never find pewter around here, but I score on some solder occasionally.

[chuckbuster]

182507182507

Just so we know of what Hardcast speaks, this is a photo he sent me from his smelting barn of the "Dirty Aluminum" (in auctioneers words) contents of the box


Kevin

[imashooter2]

There we go! Nice haul!

[Hardcast416taylor]

Thank you kindly Kevin. Darn but it feels good to be exonerated! I just got another small lot of pewter (about 10 lb) from an on line auction for $15, same old `dirty aluminum`!Robert

[Tom W.]

Interesting cup on the left.....

[longbow]

I know you guys get all worked up about pewter for the tin but has anyone checked what they bought to see if it has any historical/antique value?

If it is all junk pewter fine but it it has antique value then of course it can be sold for profit then use that to buy tin. Just saying...

[Hardcast416taylor]

Interesting cup on the left.....


That is 1 of 3 like that in the box. They are fairly heavy and a handfull they are made to resemble viking tankards I believe. I ran out of room on that table so I just displayed the 1.Robert

[imashooter2]

I'm sure they were made in genuine pewter, but every one of those I've seen has been an aluminum alloy.

[imashooter2]

I know you guys get all worked up about pewter for the tin but has anyone checked what they bought to see if it has any historical/antique value?

If it is all junk pewter fine but it it has antique value then of course it can be sold for profit then use that to buy tin. Just saying...

eBay is chock full of "valuable antique pewter" that no one is interested in buying at anything over scrap prices.

Just saying...

[longbow]

Okay. I have never checked what's available on eBay or elsewhere. Just figured that someone might get cranked up on a pewter find and melt something worth more than its scrap price.

Mind you what isn't "vintage", "antique" or "rare" on eBay? I don't think humanity has been around long enough to produce that many antiques.

[GoodOlBoy]

182507182507

Just so we know of what Hardcast speaks, this is a photo he sent me from his smelting barn of the "Dirty Aluminum" (in auctioneers words) contents of the box


Kevin

That horn shaped drinking cup on the left will bring about $100 by itself if sold to a Renaissance festival crowd.... seriously.... Much like dive weights some of the Pewter stuff folks find is actually worth more than the base metal if resold as is, or even cleaned up a "smidge". That horn shaped cup should be enough to buy you (IE the OP) about three to four times it's own weight in more tin and pewter. Especially if you find another auction deal like that one!

Great find.

God Bless, and One Love.

GoodOlBoy

[imashooter2]

That horn shaped drinking cup on the left will bring about $100 by itself if sold to a Renaissance festival crowd.... seriously.... Much like dive weights some of the Pewter stuff folks find is actually worth more than the base metal if resold as is, or even cleaned up a "smidge". That horn shaped cup should be enough to buy you (IE the OP) about three to four times it's own weight in more tin and pewter. Especially if you find another auction deal like that one!

Great find.

God Bless, and One Love.

GoodOlBoy

Good luck with that. eBay is full of those cups offered for a whole lot less than $100 and still not selling.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I'm sure they were made in genuine pewter, but every one of those I've seen has been an aluminum alloy.

Were they hallmarked and stamped `Pewter` by the hallmark stamp as these are?Robert

[imashooter2]

Were they hallmarked and stamped `Pewter` by the hallmark stamp as these are?Robert

The cups I've seen were not. Just passing information for novices that use these threads as an aid for their scrounging. Cups of that design should be looked at carefully before purchase. There are far more aluminum versions than genuine pewter out there.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Perhaps now you can realize why I got excited when I rummaged thru that box of `dirty aluminum` and saw everything was both hallmarked and had `pewter` stamped there also, must have been not seen by many others that day. When the weather warms a little my smelting will proceed. I`m just too old, tired, lazy and don`t want to nor know how to research these items - I want low cost tin and nothing else.Robert

[omgb]

A few weeks back the widow of a guy in my club called and asked me to help her sell his stuff. Geez, what a mountain he had/has. Anyway, she asked me to haul away his lead stash. There were 935 bars (1 lb ingots) of wheel weights and 40 lbs of type font. In exchange I got to keep the lead and his Pro Melter. I'm not too sure what I did to deserve that but I am working hard to sell his molds and presses for her as a result.

[longbow]

What moulds have you got to sell?

[omgb]

I posted them all on the swapping and selling page. 45 acp, 45 colt, 44 mag mostly four cavity molds all with handles.

[jsizemore]

I'm sure they were made in genuine pewter, but every one of those I've seen has been an aluminum alloy.

Same for me!

[longbow]

I'll take a look. Thanks.

[6622729]

Still waiting for that 33# of tin picture. 8-)

[Hardcast416taylor]

Still waiting for that 33# of tin picture. 8-)


It`ll be warmer weather before I smelt the pile down. I regret posting my find as I then must defend my claim to every troll that wishes to impune my veracity. Therefore as far as I am concerned this thread conversation is closed.Robert

[imashooter2]

For heaven's sake, the standard internet demand for pics is all in fun. No one actually questioned whether or not you found the pewter.

[AlaskaScott]

Sweet deal!