I did my searches and came up with nothing. Any ideas? "General Washington"

[craigconewbie]

It says "Warranted General Washington Handmade"
It seems to be woven and embossed. It is 4.5" high and 8" long. Maybe the thickness of one, probably not two sheets of printer paper. And it has some weight to it, I'm thinking maybe silver?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[cogar]

I think what you have is a “printing plate”.

To wit:

https://www.lifewire.com/printing-plates-information-1073825

[craigconewbie]

I don't think so.  It's really fragile and as flimsy as a piece of cloth.

[Rauville]

I would maybe think it might be a fancy "Cigar box / humidor label"?

http://libertycigars.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/washington-2.jpg

(A printing plate should have a "mirror image".)

[craigconewbie]

You would think that a cigar fancy enough to have a "silver" label or logo would show up in the cigar databases online.  I have checked at least a half dozen and nothing shows up for General Washington.

[cogar]

"(A printing plate should have a "mirror image".)"

OOPS, ….. my bad, …… t’was thinking ….. ‘thin, flexible & silvery”, ….. n’ logo/trademark citing “WARRANTED” and “HANDMADE”….. and printing plate came to mind.

[mart]

I am not sure this item is as old as  you may think !! Even though it is silver colored I doubt real silver was used to make it !!  I wonder if it is some sort of shrink label !!    Where did you find this ??

[craigconewbie]

It was found in an large, old book from the 1880s (which doesn't prove it age) between the pages, I assume for protection. The back looks identical except the words are in reverse.  It is definitely metal (rings up on my metal detector, but because of the size and shape the signal bounces around with no definitive reading as to the metal type).  Shrink label in my mind means some sort of plastic, is that what you were implying?

[mart]

MMetals are used in some paints,, not the film itself !!  But  that was just an idea !!  I have looked everywhere and nothing shows it to be a product line or a brand name !!  Of course its possible that whatever it was intended for just never materialized !!  Or it did and this type label was too expensive to use !!  There is absolutely nothing that I have found that even gives a hint !!
Just curious but what book did you find it in ?? Perhaps there is an idea there !!

[craigconewbie]

I have also come up completely blank in my searches.  It came out of a large tome called Picturesque America, Edited by William Cullen Bryant, 1872.  I don't think there is any connection.

[mart]

If I had it,, I would cut a tiny strip from one edge and hold it with tweezers in front of an iron set on high just to see what happens !!  If it melts or anything similar,, you would know its probably 20th century !!
If you are close to a large city,, maybe take it to a museum and see if they have an idea !!  Check out Mt Vernon Historical Society !!  They may know what it is,, send pics if you can !!

[cogar]

Aaah, …… the clues are mounting up to wit:

It is 4.5" high and 8" long
It seems to be woven and embossed.
Maybe the thickness of one sheet of printer paper.
And it has some weight to it, I'm thinking maybe silver?
The back looks identical except the words are in reverse. 

It still has the potential of being a “printing plate” for offset printing,

Or, it could be a “printing screen” for screen printing, to wit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing


ell, I not afraid to ponder a guess or two.   

[craigconewbie]

The "sheet" is way to soft to be a printing plate.  I'm sure that if I applied enough pressure to the "logo" you would smooth it right out so as to be non-existent.  Sort of like taking a blunt object and writing on a piece of foil, then taking a round cylinder type object and rolling over the foil, the impression you just made would disappear.  (I am not saying it is made of foil, it is to heavy for that.)

And for being a printing screen, the "weave" is way to tight.  When you hold it up to the light, you can't see through it.

Tonight after work, I will try to weigh it and compare it to equal sizes of paper, foil and whatever else I can find.  Maybe that will give a clue, maybe it will be a waste of time.

I really appreciated everyone's thoughts and guesses.  Someone will eventually recognize it as something they have seen or heard about in the past.

[mart]

Actually a screen printing fabric has to be light because when the lamp is on it shines through the fabric and only leaves the image of the covered and darker area !!  These are literally sort of burned in !!

[craigconewbie]

Light doesn't go through this.