Announcement: 1998 Ironmasters Conference

I am posting this announcement to the List for my colleagues & fellow Ironmasters!

1998 Ironmasters Conference: The Salisbury Iron District May 16-17, 1998

The 1998 Ironmasters Conference will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17, in the Salisbury Iron District. This area, which is centered in Northwestern Connecticut (USA), and includes adjacent sections of Massachusetts and New York, was once the third largest pig iron-producing district in the United States. This event is the first Ironmasters Conference in New England, and will introduce the rich ironmaking heritage of the Salisbury district, which ranges from Thomas lambs' 1735 lime Rock, CT, Bloomery Forge, to the Richmond, MA, and Cannan, CT, blast furnaces, last operated in 1923.

Conference Schedule:

Saturday, May 16th: Connecticut Iron Symposium and Open papers Session

Speakers:

Robert B. Gordon - An Overview of the history and technology of ironmaking in the Connecticut and the Salisbury District.

Edward M. Kirby - Historic ironmaking site interpretation and preservation in the Salisbury District.

David B. Ingram - Revolutionary War cannon founding in the Salisbury District.

Gregory J. Galer - Technological development at the Ames Ironworks at Falls village, Ct.

Michael Raber - Research & Preservation efforts at the Mine Hill ironmaking site in Roxbury, CT.

Walter Landgraff - Overview of ironmaking in Connecticut's Farmington Valley.

Robert Gradie III - Bloomery Forges in Windham County and eastern Connecticut.

Open Papers Session:

If you are interested in giving a 20 minute paper on ironmaking research, preservation, or interpretation please send a title, abstract, and short biography to Matthew A. Kierstead, 22 Rosewood Street #3F, Pawtucket, RI 02860 USA.

Sunday, May 17th: Ironmaking Sites Bus Tour

For further conference information and registration please contact:

Mr. Matthew A. Kierstead 22 Rosewood Street #3F Pawtucket, RI 02860 USA

Cheers! Dave

David Harvey Associate Conservator, Metals & Arms The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation P.O. Box 1776 Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-1776 USA Voice: 757-220-7039

Help! Does anyone know what an 'olive' is?

The Shelburne Museum is restoring the steamboat Ticonderoga.

We have found the original 1906 order to outfit the boat including the following items to supply each corner sink area - a bowl, a comfort (chamber pot?), spoonholder, water pitcher, a towel, towel hardware, a cuspidor and an olive. The term olive doesn't appear in hardware or Sears catalogues of the period that I have looked at.

The mysterious olive cost $.85 in 1906.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Many thanks, in advance, for pondering this weighty question!

I really don't know, but wondered if it could be a 'plug'? Just a thought.

B Taylor

Could this refer to soap made from olive oil?

Ann Trowbridge (a child and grandchild of Colgate-Palmolive company

Hellenic Children's Museum Address: Kidathineon 14, GR-10558 Athens, E.U. Phone: +30-1-3312995, Fax: +30-1-3312997

Well, I don't really know either, but could it be a kind of soap holder that is screwed to the wall and on which a soap bar is 'nailed'? It looks like an olive... Just a guess...

George Manginis

Meanwhile I would also like to know what it is. So this is just an attempt to help: in German, as far as I remember, a part of a window catch is called 'Olive'. An old fashioned joiner should know, I guess.

Greetings, Fritz

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******************************************* # Friedrich WAIDACHER

Yesterday I more or less verified my assumption by asking a craftsman:

'Olive' (in German) is called the little round metal plate surrounding a keyhole. By analogy I could imagine what an olive is in plumbing.

Greetings, Fritz

******************************************* # Friedrich WAIDACHER

An Olive is: a metal ring that creates a seal. A metal ring or fitting which is tightened under threaded nut to form a seal as in a compression joint [Oxford English Reference Dictionary]

Regards Richard Roberts

In our OED, I find that an 'Olive' is an oval-shaped termination on a cord or tassel. The 'olive' is passed through a buttonhole and helps attach a cord of tassel closure to a garment, curtain, etc. This can be seen in certain elaborate military uniforms of the last century. By induction, could an 'Olive' be a termination on a metal or timber hook that is meant to hold a handtowel. Some early handtowels did have buttonholes in one corner. This seems to be the only element missing from the washroom reconstruction (except perhaps a soapdish and a toothbrush holder).

Michael Bogle Historic Houses Trust of NSW

that is meant to >Yesterday I more or less verified my assumption by asking a craftsman:

Mike Bogle & Peta Landman 429 Riley Street Surry Hills, Sydney Australia 2010 (61) (2) 9212 7069

Just the other day I went to the hardware store to buy a 1/4 20 pimento.

I am searching for a warehouse or supplier that buys out old library, school or institutional wooden furniture. I am in need of 50 colonial revival style oak chairs for the reinstallation of a 1920s dining room. I have tried university property management departments, salvage operations, even the local Catholic Diocese with no success. There must be somebody out there buying up and reselling the stuff.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks

P.S. I considered buying modern repros but so far, the North Carolina furniture manufacturers don't seem to come close to what I need and custom-built is just too expensive.