Anyone recognize this iron mark?

[hosman321]

Trying to date this little ship wheel I got last week. Some sites have this exact same wheel and say it's early 1900's and some say 1950's. Trying to date it by the mark. It looks like an elongated "C" with "VV" inside it. Or, if upside down, an enlongated circle with "AA." I only got it because it has barnacles all over it and was clearly in the water for a period of time, which I thought was pretty cool. Most of the barnacles were scraped off before I got it. The shop owner said that he bought it from a man at the base of Rainier. He was in his 90's and said his now deceased brother brought it back from Alaska, where he was a fisherman many years ago.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Something interesting about those barnacles. The wheel would have had to have been submerged at least during high tide in order for barnacles to be able to latch onto it. That tells me your wheel was either on a wrecked boat, was dumped, or was what was left behind after a "boat burning" (common form of disposal). Although in general before a boat is destroyed it is stripped of anything useful or valuable. I would not remove anymore barnacles, they are proof of its history.

[hosman321]

Yeah, the old man said it was a shipwreck. But there were thousands of shipwrecks in Alaska, so I'll never know. The barnacles were removed before I got it, I won't remove any at all.
I was trying to figure out how long it takes for barnacles to attach and grow but I gotta do some more reading.

[waywardangler]

A-a-a-r-rrrrr!  How about CW for Captain Wainright who went down with his ship off Seward in stormy seas?  Actually I have no clue but it is a neat find, hosman.

[fancypants]

Cool wheel , hosman321 .

Just by the style of the casting , I'd guess 1930's to early 1950's .... that's just a guess though .

[KC]

How about a Wilcox Crittenden?  Wilcox Crittenden & Co, Middletown, Conn.

[talesofthesevenseas]

KC's image went belly-up, but I think he nailed it. Here's another photo of a Wilcox-Crittenden ships wheel:

[talesofthesevenseas]

Wilcox Crittenden has been in business from 1947 to the present day. Here's a little info and a clear look at their hallmark:

http://www.angelfire.com/wy/mttools/Wilcox-Crittenden.htm

[talesofthesevenseas]

Mystic Seaport has the records of Wilcox Crittenden. I think they would be a good source for being able to put a date to your helm.

http://library.mysticseaport.org/manuscripts/coll/coll231.cfm#head49527464

[hosman321]

Thank you guys, I appreciate it! So, post 1940's...at least now I know.

[hosman321]

This link says the company is much older. Or am I missing something?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crittenden_Wilcox_Mill

[hosman321]

Oh, tales made a typo and put 1947 lol. I thought I was losin' it for a minute.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Sorry 'bout that typo Hosman! I meant 1847.