A work colleague brought this World War I item that belonged to her grandfather when he was in the service. I’m attempting to transcribe it and determine what the symbolism means.
Aside from that, I’m deciding how to create a citation for this item and the best way to transcribe the non-linear text.
Kelly Akins says:
So, it belonged to Raymond L Short and if you dig up his military record I’m betting you’ll find the engravings are all the places he served at.
Elaine G. Bennett says:
My mind keeps trying to move it in a circle …so the light is featuring a different section….this is a fun game..chuckles to all of us..
Elaine G. Bennett says:
—or is this the bottom of a fry pan ??
Barbara says:
What is the item – it looks like a pan lid .
Is it aluminum?
Perhaps he was a cook?
Is the circular part raised? Could it be to lift it?
It has been transcribed with some sort of tool – could that help? I don’t know what tool it would be but whoever did it, was no novice. Further inspection of the engraving , I think the diagonal writing is different – not the series of dots. Are they written with an ink or paint of some kind or engraved ?
IS that a “10” NY” and “51 PI or L”? IF so, the PI (l) might give another location. New York and ??
THe !) can also be an (I – how on earth can I make an I eye thatdoesn’t look like lower case
“L” or a one (LOL.) I want it to mean an “eye” !!!!!
Good Luck, Michael. I will be looking froward to many comments.:}
Brenda Hare says:
How large (or small) is this item? Did he carry it with him in his pocket? Is it that small? Or as Kelly suggested, was he a cook, and this is a pan lid? I agree with Kelly. Get his military record, and I will bet it will make more sense.
Jeri Oltman says:
Library catalogers have experience in describing items that are not books for inclusion in library collections. The terms used for such items is realia.
Dave says:
Looks like the bottom half of a mess kit. It is made of aluminum, so relatively easy to “engrave”.
Carla says:
Yep, It’s the part of the mess kit that you put your food in. There’s possibility a hinge or what’s left of one on one end. We could carry our mess kit utensils inside when on the move. That hasn’t changed much in the decades that passed.
Looks like this fellow was right in the heart of things! What a rich piece of memorabilia!