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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: CarriageHouse on February 12, 2013, 02:35:44 PM

Title: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: CarriageHouse on February 12, 2013, 02:35:44 PM: Hi -

I'm working on a collection of personal property which belonged to a Jewish/German woman who was a survivor of the WWII concentration camps.

These following pieces are either something or nothing (so to speak)...I've been trying to identify them and their purpose, but can't seem to get anywhere with them, here are two photos...I'm not sure if these are simple cut stones, or possibly trading pieces, but everything in the collection seems to have significance, so I'm trying to do my due diligence and determine what these cut stone pieces are...if anyone could shed some light on the matter for me, that would be really appreciated.

(http://www.carriagehousesolutions.ca/graphics/forums/ch_cutstones_01.jpg)

(http://www.carriagehousesolutions.ca/graphics/forums/ch_cutstones_02.jpg)

Thanks,
-Steve
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: mart on February 12, 2013, 03:13:45 PM: Top are cut in maltese cross shape but are evidently hand cut since none are identical !! What size are they ?? My first thought would be buttons if they are small !! Perhaps unfinished ones !!
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: CarriageHouse on February 12, 2013, 03:27:02 PM: Thanks for the reply, never thought about buttons!

The dimensions of the square pieces are - L: 1-3/16" x W: 1-3/16" x Height/Thickness: 1/4"

The dimensions of the round pieces are - W: 1-3/16" x Height/Thickness: 1/4"

I know you can't tell through the computer possibly without touching them, but to me they are granite...seem so to you?

Thanks again.
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: mart on February 12, 2013, 04:55:21 PM: I am not a geologist or gemologist so I really couldn`t guess on what the material is !! You said that this lady was in one of the camps ??
If I were you I would contact the Holocaust Museum for info !! They would be the most likely to know about these pieces !! I will look more tomorrow !!
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: CarriageHouse on February 13, 2013, 07:03:02 AM: Thanks so much for the words back and assistance.
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: fancypants on February 13, 2013, 06:43:58 PM: Nice little button collection , to my eyes , CH !

The 'maltese cross' buttons pretty much appear to be from either marble or alabaster .... perhaps the round-slab ones are marble as well ... might have been used as the stiffbacking for a cloth-covered button (needing no slots/holes thru slab for attachment) .

I'd guess , from assuming that the story of their origin is 100% true , that the 'crosses' may have been string or thread cut (using sand/dirt/ash as the abrasive) ... (you can easily see for yourself how well a simple string can cut , if you try one out on a scrap of PVC or ABS pipe) .... took alotta work to cut them , I'd wager !
IMO , the chances that these items were fashioned in a concentration camp would be in keeping with their appearance .

Thanks for posting them !
Title: !Q!!
Post by: mart on February 13, 2013, 06:55:07 PM: Kind of what I was thinking Fancy,, perhaps for the German army uniforms ect !! Bottom pieces look like marble but hard to tell,,alabaster would be softer and easier formed I think !!
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: fancypants on February 15, 2013, 12:39:56 PM: Another though : that these items may have been 'game pieces' , as in tic-tac-toe &/or etc .
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: mart on February 15, 2013, 01:11:53 PM: Anything is possible I guess !! Somehow I just can`t imagine them as game pieces in a concentration camp !! Hard to visualize !!
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: Buddie11 on February 16, 2013, 12:03:19 PM: Definitely marble,my guess would be the Maltese cross bianco carrara marble,the other not too sure it is marble though. I'm a tilesetter. Shouldn't have been too difficult to cut,marble is a very soft stone.
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: mart on February 16, 2013, 12:16:21 PM: I realize that but I was talking in terms of tools available in a Nazi concentration camp !! Its still hard to imagine !!
Title: Re: Need Help Identifying Cut Stones - Purpose?
Post by: Buddie11 on February 16, 2013, 12:28:00 PM: If they had access to marble they may have had access to a harder stone. Cut stone with stone. (MOHs hardness scale)