While I was out of town last week I did a bit of picking and here are a couple of the very special items I ran across. In all of the places I have been, these are the first of these I have been able to actually hold in my hand and the old saying goes, the time to buy it is when you see it.

 

So I found these two Ivory and German Silver rulers that came from an estate sale and have been together for a while and they are still together now.

 

 

October of 1854, Augustus, Gad, Henry and Timothy Stanley formed a partnership with Thomas Conkin for the purpose of manufacturing boxwood and ivory folding rulers. They called the firm A. Stanley & Co.

 

In February of 1855 and a few month of operations, the company purchased the rule business of Seth Savage. Their acquisition increased their line to 85 different boxwood and Ivory rules.

 

The Ivory and German Silver rules were made from 1855 till 1922.

 

The small rule with the Caliper I believe is a Stanley No 38.

 

This is from a the book Boxwood and Ivory. This one has the changed back to the caliper.

 

 

These were offered as the highest level of tool and for the carpenter that has everything. They were given as gifts and carried in the pocket so they will have a good bit of wear on the outside.

 

As you can see the numbers have worn all most all the way off the outside.

 

But the increments on the caliper are still in very good condition.

 

There is only one thing that has given me a problem with this ruler. On the top of the caliper is a 96 stamped. It is also stamped under the rule of the caliper.

 

I have searched and cannot find a No.96 Ivory and Silver Caliper ruler made by anyone. I am not sure if this may have been a patent date for the picture is an exact match for the No.38. So until I can find more information I believe it to be a No.38.

 

The other rule is a four fold one foot ruler in Ivory and Silver.

This is a Stanley No.92 1/2 Ivory Ruler. It too has a good bit of wear on the outside but you can still make out certain number and lines. If you look really close you can see the No 92 1/2 on this rule.

 

What is really nice about this one is when you unfold it. The numbers and markings on the inside are in excellent condition.

 

 

These are a couple of really nice finds that I am excited to make room in the display cabinet for. I have already been contacted to see if I was interested in selling them, but for right now, I just want to hold on to them.

 

The Ivory has some shrinkage and the color has yellowed just a bit as is expected but they are just so very cool to hold and know that someone cherished them enough to carry them or use them to the point of wearing off the numbers.

 

Wow this Patriot Picking just keeps getting better.

 

I have a few more Items I got that I will share with you over the next weeks.

 

I will only say I got a really good deal on these.

 

 

 

 

 

Those are fabulous finds, John. I've never seen anything like them. They are truly keepers.  

This could get addictive....

This could get addictive....

No Lew, it already has!

I love these John, and I love all your Patriot Picking posts, informative, and accurate, and this find is one of your mother lodes for sure, ivory anything is so hard to find. I don't even think a retail shop can possess ivory can they?

Share this one as I do with many on our Facebook Page

I love these John, and I love all your Patriot Picking posts, informative, and accurate, and this find is one of your mother lodes for sure, ivory anything is so hard to find. I don't even think a retail shop can possess ivory can they?

Share this one as I do with many on our Facebook Page

 

I believe you are right John. There have even been discussion that you couldn't sell antique Ivory, but I know that it still goes on.

 

In the books I have on the Boxwood and Ivory rules, all of the Ivory ones were made from Elephant tusk.

I'm addicted to Antique Road Show. I've heard them discuss ivory items and it seems that they are OK if produced before a certain date....1975, I think.

At any rate, I'd bet you are a legal owner. 

I'm addicted to Antique Road Show. I've heard them discuss ivory items and it seems that they are OK if produced before a certain date....1975, I think.

At any rate, I'd bet you are a legal owner. 

Antique Roadshow! Great program Gene, even my kids love it!

I think you are right Gene, I need to look that up and see, but I have heard them speak of the same thing.

 

We DVR Antique Roadshow and watch it when there is nothing else on TV that we care about.

 

My granddaughter is even becoming a picker. She went with us to the auction the other night and got a wooden doll cradle for her American Girl Dolls and an old Wicker stand with three shelves. She spend about 10.00 and then she always helps pick up the cans in the building at the end and the owner gave her 5.00, so she came out pretty good.

 

There were some paper weights that didn't make it to the auction table that she was really interested in. They are a good item to get into collecting.