Brian Wolfe

Hello Everyone,

Here is one of the more unusual items from my years of collecting. It is an Indian Elehpant Goad or Ankusa,which is used to manage elehants. I suspose this could be military at one time in history, however, this one would date somwhere around the end of the 19th to early 20th century. Therefore I would categorize it as non-military. It is made of steel and inlaid with brass. It measures 22 1/2 inches in length and is quite heavy. As to value, the market value of this particular ankusa would be around the $350.00 mark. However, if there were a rampaging Indian elephant terrorizing my neighbourhood and since I am the only one with one of these then the value...priceless.

Regards

Brian

Excellent research work Odulf.

Regards

Brian

This is the set I believe was made in Thailand.

Reading Mervyn's post regarding that fine antique opium pipe reminded me that I had two sets of opium weights in the collection. Naturally before you could smoke the opium it was necessary to purchase it. The two sets of weights, made in China, persented here were used so the customer could know the exact amount he was buying. I actually have a feeling, due to the style of the animals, that the set shown in the second photo may be from Thailand even though I was told it was Chinese.

The first set is the older of the two and would date from the mid 1850s retailing at around $150.00 to $200.00.

The second set shown would date to around 1900 and the retail value would be about the same as the older set.

These are being made once again and you can find them in shops that sell beads and "smoking aids", and other former "hippie" odds and ends. The newly made ones are of a poorer grade with a very rough finish. This has tended to bring down the prices of the originals somewhat.

Regards

Brian

I have nothing to base this upon but it looks to me like a training device for motor crews.

Regards

Brian

Thankyou Brian - any idea of a local value ? Ed - are you happy with this information ?

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I wouldn't even begin to estimate the value. I no longer haunt antiques shops or auctions, so any value would be far from accurate.

Regards

Brian

Hello Cathey and Rex and welcome.

I have been looking forward to your posts especially since Stuart has been "teasing" me for a while now about your collection and the possibility you would post some photos. I would also like to thank you for the additional history that you have included, this makes a posting absolutely priceless.

Regards

Brian

Hi Ed,

I'd say your piece was one of the later pieces of Weller due to the general style and the clear stamped company logo which is in a half circle style, on the bottom. That would place this (in my opinion) in the first half of the 20th century.

Weller pottery was made in Ohio from 1872 to 1946 with pieces marked, Louwelsa Weller, and numbered on the bottom. Earlier pieces were sometimes hand inscribed with this information.

A very nice example of later Weller pottery. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

I look forward to hearing from other members regarding their opinions on this piece.

Regards

Brian

I'm a blade man myself, though not as extreme as Chris. I suspose the idea of running a blade over your neck in the morning was the reason for the popularity of beards. I've used a brush and shaving mug for years only changing to the canned foam in the past few years to save time in the morning.

I recall that when I was a youth, even though safety razors and electric razors had been popular for years, the local barber still kept shaving mugs for his patrons. The town's business men each had their own mug which was stored, for their use only, in a pigeon-hole style cupboard just to the side of the barber's large mirror. By the time I was considering shaving this was no longer an available option at the barber's.

Great post, bringing back memories of a time when the pace of life was not as fast as today and people enjoyed life. You could never use a straight razor on an up and coming young professional today as the cell phone or Blackberry would get in the way.

Regards

Brian

Thanks for posting this interesting group and especially thanks for the infomation you have provided Frank.

My knowledge of Canadian regulations is very dated and this has been most informative.

Regards

Brian

Excellent work and a fine collection.

Thank you for sharing this with the membership, I'm sure you have inspired others with your display, I know I am.

Regards

Brian

Here is a really good article on the Fairburn-Sykes knives for your reading enjoyment.

http://www.gotavapen.se/gota/artiklar/fs/new/fs_new.htm

Regards

Brian

A relative in England, the family historian, has contacted me and says that she did not uncover anything about a Francis in the family, which is a shame.

Stuart

This is going to sound stupid, but when has that ever stopped me (rhetorical)? Sometimes when people get wrapped up in researching family they miss little details so I have to ask, did she look up "Frank"?

Regards

Brian

Hello Everyone,

I know it is starting to sound like my anthem, but I really like Special Constabulary Long Service and Good Conduct medals when they are part of a group. The very fact that a soldier served his country in war and then continued to serve his community in the Special COnstabulary really srtikes a cord deep within me.

This group, as may be seen in the photo, was issued to a member of the R.F.A. (Royal Field Artillery), the 1914/15 Star is marked so, the BWM and the Victory Medals are marked R.A. (Royal Artillery). I can only begin to imagine what this fellow saw during the Great War and then went on serving his community afterwards. This group, in my opinion, speaks volumes for the man's fine character.

I hope you like it.

Regards

Brian

You attend a Community Policing meeting, place your forage cap on the chair beside you (with no thought given) and sure as anything soemone will sit on it.

This would have prevented that, well...at least it wouldn't have happen twice.

Regards

Brian

Good illustration of the air tube helmet. I've seen two of these personally that are in the collection of colleague in London. The illustrations suggest these are much more like the later foreign service helmet than they actually are however.

I tend to think these were inspired by the cavalry helmets of the era, and as I mentioned the spikes just appeared as a style change. Maybe everyone saw the point at the same time!

Ouch, good pun Peter.

Regards

Brian

To add to Stuart's post (#11) here are two drawings based on actual photographs showing the tube vent helmet. These are from the Osprey, Elite series, #71, "Queen Victoria's Commanders.

The first, in the red tunic, is Lieutenant Robert Rogers, HM 44th Regiment; China 1860.

The second, in the blue tunic is, Lieutenant-General Sir Colin Campbell, GCB, The Indian Mutiny, 1857-58.

Regards

Brian

I agree Peter, many composite woods do "off gass" and this has caused a lot of breathing problems especially now that we are making our houses tighter and tighter to conserve energy and there for homeowner's money. We are, in a way, living in sealed bottles relying on mechanical ventilation to keep the air as pure as possible.

As far as sealing the wood, I think if one uses enough coats of clear coat there should be little problem. I think we, as collectors, tend to either go to one extreme or another. Either do nothing or resort to over-kill, if one can over-do conservation. The worse thing you can do, of course, is nothing. Who would have thought that being engaged in collecting would lead to conservationism?

Regards

Brian

Here's the text from the book. I took the easy route and just photographed it.

Regards

Brian

Hello Ian,

It took a while to find but here is what Frederick J. Stephen has to say about your knife in his book, "Fighting Knives". There is not a lot to add this post but I thought you would like to see this anyway. Text follows the knife's photo.

Regards

Brian

I will be most interested to see better photos when you can post them.

This is a clasp I was not aware of, though I do not profess to be an expert.

The photos do tend to make the medal look like a taylor's copy but that is quite common so it is not a big concern.

Looking forward to more information and better photos.

Regards

Brian

Hi Stuart,

Very nice display, though I am wondering if you are starting to come over to the dark side.

Regards

Brian

Hello Nick,

Thank you very much for this most interesting video.

This makes me want to go downstairs and renovate my room. Entering through a Police Box; that gives me just enough inspiration to result in me sleeping in the garage for a week.

Regards

Brian

Hello Mervyn,

A very informitive and interesting post. I'm not sure if the police and other security forces around the world are finger printed but you are here when you join up. That's all fine and well but it really puts a damper on taking up a life of crime after you retire!

Well done.

Regards

Brian

That's a very nice group and the archive and history that came with it makes it even more desirable.

A great find Mervyn.

Regards

Brian