Posted by George Nicula on July 17, 1999 at 17:42:11:
Hello everyone,
I have recently discovered an in-tact copper hinge under 8 inches of sand and baseball sized stones on a remote beach of Lake Michigan. The two pieces of the hinge are remarkable in design with Victorian style curvature and detailed (woodgrain) carvings. The two pieces of the the hinge seem to be made of two different grades of copper, judging by their distinct colors. They are held together by an iron pin which has binded the movement of the hinge due to its natural corrosion. Lucky for me (hopefully), the hinge is stamped with the numbers 0450 on the larger half. judging by the placement of each letter, I would assume that each letter was stamped individually. With close observation over a white background you (I) can see that the pieces are not exactly symetrical. Once again I'm guessing that this hinge may be hand made. Also their are no mold marks, flashing, or any obvious indications of mass productions.
I would like to learn about the construction of Great lakes ships from the 1700's and 1800's as well as hearing the thoughts of the many on this forum.
Thank you,
George "I'll find you Kitty Reeves" Nicula