Posted 12 years ago
lisaemery1…
(1 item)
I found this in my old house that I had lived in, and did not know what it was at first. I dont know to much history about it, all I know is that it belonged to a R.L. Robbins out of Boston. That is the only information I have been able to find.
better pic would be nice.
I concur!!!
I uploaded a clearer picture, hope this helps.
Much better. Maybe some kind of employee I.D.. Hope somebody comes up with the answer.
Thank you for the updated picture! Great find!!!
Just flipping back & see this hasn't been solved yet. You clipped off the very top. Does it have a way of fastening?
Yes it has a clip on it!!
I believe you have two items.
The top portion looks to be a watch fob.
The brass RR item looks like a typical baggage tag of the late 19th/ early 20th century.
scott
I think it is one piece because the shingles all have 2 hangers & both top & bottom have 1 ring. The tag is held with single jack chains but I couldn't find a history of that type.
Also, the name Robbins would identify the MAKER as opposed to the owner of the RR baggage tag.
scott
Is this R.R. or boat? Is that 1914 I see on the bottom shingle?
Here is a site with information on brass RR baggage tags:
http://www.railroadiana.org/hw/pgBaggageTags.php
scott
No the date on the top piece is 1803 and on the bottom is 1904.
Maybe the employee was so lazy that they put a baggage tag on him? Scott's poste shows very similar tags. This is getting good. For some reason, I still think it is a worn badge even if the guy was 101 yrs old.
Quick research on the CT River RR shows the posted dates have NO significance to the RR. The RR was formed in 1845-- lending further credence to the thought that the upper portion is not related to the brass baggage tag.
scott
We all seem to have diff. guesses.
Here is some information that I had forwarded to me from a gentleman that knows about Railroad history!!
The heart-shaped badge looks like a regular railroad brass baggage tag from the 1800s, with the "6210" probably being a destination-station number. "Conn River Line", however, may be a steamship line on the Connecticut River that connected with one or more railroads. I don't know of any railroad named Connecticut River Line, although the Valley Railroad (later New Haven Railroad) did run alongside the Connecticut River.
The other emblems above the heart-shaped emblem look like additions, as do the two holes drilled in the emblem to attach them