Can anyone tell me what this is? - it's a tipstaff, thank you Ipcress

[Ipcress]

No other marks on the brass ?

[Vickoh]

Close up pics

[Vickoh]

I know now that the coat of arms is London and on the other side GR iii no other markings apart from those though.

[KC]

Okay, now I am having a blast researching this.

This one (liveauctioneers) sold for $600...and it opened to reveal this "oar"  (average on this site go for $1,000)

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/9224916

[Vickoh]

So..... I definitely need to get the lead removed safely as I can see there is something within under the lead.... That's the good news the bad news the handle doesn't unscrew I've tried but don't want to apply too much pressure in case I damage it, I would of thought it would of undone so no secrets within there unfortunately ..... I have emailed a couple of people from the links given to me on here to maybe have more info soon!!

[Dogaman]

Vickoh,

Cool! Keep us up to date!

[Ipcress]

I think an auction estimate of £100-150 would be about right.

There are some condition issues which you have to take note of when estimating the value of these things but which collectors often overlook when bidding !

[Vickoh]

Oh well maybe I won't be a millionaire this time next year then lol ..... But hey ho not a bad little find in a desk draw !

[bigwull]

methinks that lead/solder has to come out from the crown,....if not then i feel that its value may be lessened....The metal thats been put in there is almost certainly Solder,...which has a very low melting point......but it is greater than the temp needed to boil water,which my Dear Mart,..is 100C or 212F..the melting point of Solder is between 183C...or 361F...and 216C...or 420F.....the melting point of brass is between 900C...or 1652F...and 940C  or 1724F.....If you did not want to apply direct heat via a gas torch,for fear of damaging the brass...which would not happen provided the heat did not reach 900C+  then you could use an electric oven...and set the temp to 220C....and the solder will fall out....

[Vickoh]

Great idea,  I think you may be right about it being solder as it is fairly easy pick off with a small knife so I was also thinking of using a soldering iron .... May be a bit fiddlie but I can give it a go

[bigwull]

Looking closely at your pics...it may be a case of this solder infill is whats stopping it coming apart,..for its my way of thinking that whoever did this heated the solder in a melting pot,then poured it into the gap,..but how much was poured in..that,s the big question....but, as i,ve said in my previous post...getting it out is,nt too hard...Using a soldering iron..may be ok for what you can see, but if as i suspect..its all the way down that tube,then the oven is your best bet....

[Vickoh]

Would that damage the handle though? It is definitely hard wood of some sort.

[cogar]

I think you may be right about it being solder

I didn't think of it being solder ........ but I knew it didn't look like pure lead ... and that's why I asked.

To wit: "Lead gradually darkens with time to form a stable dark gray patina".

It was the wrong color .... and its shape and texture (roughness) would be extremely tricky to achieve when pouring melted lead into such a cavity ... because it all would have to be "poured" at the same time.

[cogar]

but if as i suspect..its all the way down that tube,then the oven is your best bet....

If you are going to try to melt it out, my suggestion would be to suspend it from the handle so that it hangs vertically and then use a "heat gun" to melt the solder and it should flow out the holes. That way the handle is not subjected to the high heat,

[bigwull]

I forgot about the wooden handle,...forget about the oven..back to the gas torch,....having worked with, soldering copper pipes etc,from experience a gas torch although it can reach higher than needed temps,..it will easily melt the solder without damaging the wood a small culinary gas torch would suffice,...or a gas ring on a cooker,...and as this object has a wooden handle the heat will not transfer all the way up...as the solder will be the first to melt....in the unlikely event of any tarnishing of the brass ,this can be removed later by polishing off....
Or as Cogar has pointed out a heat gun would be better as you can vary the heat,..far better than a gas torch..and as he said hold the handle with the soldered end pointing down and the solder will run out...