Spent most of today getting ready for tomorrow's antique fair at Long Melford, but at around four o'clock Ann suggested a quick walk down to the river, then back via the town. The wind had just swung Northerly, so with a clear sky it was a good fresh walk. The river, as you can see, was high. We had two pleasant surprises.
The first is shown above - the first wild flowers of the year, aconites, were in bloom;
And in the Churchyard we found snowdrops in bloom. Always enjoy the first flowers (it's tempting to refer to them as the first Spring Flowers, but I think that might be tempting providence, alias the irony department).
_________________________________________
Above is an item I purchased on EBay last week with a part missing. I've a feeling I've used a similar one as a MYSTERY OBJECT before, so this time, it might be interesting to see if you can remember what it is. Also, earlier in the week, I had to make the lock part that was missing. See, if you can guess which part has been replaced. Mark you, if you can; it means I haven't made a very good job of it.
9 comments:
I wish you hadn't cluttered up the background with bowls and other oddments because I was achingly close to providing the correct answer but with all the distractions I think I'd better leave it to young Crowbard to answer for me.I'll start you off will I, it's a Flintlock..........go ahead fill in the rest.
Thank you Paul. You're right so far.
That's definitely a mains/battery Roberts Radio in the top left.
I suggest you made the trigger of this 17C flintlock.
Has it got a bayonet secreted about its person?
Please continue Paul, it may help you to know I've just posted Mike some processed tea-towel for use in just such an item. The more usual variety of which uses muscle power instead of a gun-lock to do its job. (If it helps at all it was half a worn out Irish tea-towel which I had treated for about two hours in a sheltered spot in the garden.)
Mike, I know the upper jaw on the hammer takes a lot of stress and the jaw-screw thread can wear badly. The thread on this one looks in very good shape. All the parts but the hammer look very 'village forge' made. So I'm going to guess the hammer with its more intricate file-work and gravure is your work.
The item is, of course, an early eighteenth century tinder lighter, although it's tempting to think it might be late seventeenth century. Crowbard is quite right, in that linen tinder would almost certainly have been used in it (thanks for the tinder, Crowbard - it's perfect for the item. Rog is quite right to describe it as seventeenth century, and is also right in his statement that the trigger was made, a few days agod by yours truly. Rog, as a personal favour, could you tell me please how you knew it was the trigger I'd made? It would be useful to know if I ever have to make another. It's the first of its type (trigger and sear nose combined) I've made. Crowbard - I really aught to have put up more photographs from different angles, in that all the iron parts are quite well decorated, as is the stock.
Well done, everyone. I think you got everything between you.
It just looked like the best part of the entire article Mike ;-)
Mmmmmmm........ Thank you Rog. Not sure I believe you; but... trade secrets, eh?
P.s. Creep!! It continues to pleasantly surprise me how often a schoolboy retort of that sort is the most fitting rejoinder in an adult conversation.
Steady Mike, I thought you were hardly old enough to have adult conversations despite the theatrical whiskers....
Post a Comment