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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: debster on July 11, 2007, 09:45:21

Title: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: debster on July 11, 2007, 09:45:21
digging merrily away in the garden I dug up this it looks like a cow and I would think due to the weight it is made of lead
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: manicscousers on July 11, 2007, 11:31:27
wow, strange  ;D
on halloween, our uncle used to heat lead up and drop it in a bath of cold water, we were all given a piece, all different shapes, as good luck charms for a year, never got a cow-shaped one  :)
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: Mrs Ava on July 11, 2007, 12:29:07
cor!
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: Deb P on July 11, 2007, 12:56:40
I was given a small lead swan many moons ago, I think it was used as a fishing weight....presume yours is a child's toy, would be banned now of course! :-\
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: SnooziSuzi on July 11, 2007, 13:04:32
Wow! that's a really great find!  I only usually find broken bottles and rocks in mine  :'(

Does it bend if you flex it?  (don't try too hard!)  if it bends easily then it's likely to be lead - otherwise it could be pewter.

Keep it for the next time Antiques Roadshow is in town!
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: debster on July 11, 2007, 13:33:34
yes does seem to bend quite easily on the legs so very likely lead
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: selwyn-smith on July 11, 2007, 14:37:28
Is it really as bright as it looks in the photo, or has it got a sort of white verdigris? Lead usually keeps it's colour as it ages.  I work with stained glass, so I know a bit about lead, also my father  made and designed lead and then plastic model soldiers and farm animals ....... he developed a way of producing hollow cast lead models.
What I mean to say is......if it's not lead coloured but as heavy as lead, maybe it's something more valuable!
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: debster on July 11, 2007, 15:01:09
it looks as though it was painted brown at one time but think the light is the reflection from my poor photography certainly heavy enough to be lead
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: selwyn-smith on July 11, 2007, 15:31:23
Yes that looks more like lead. Can you see a makers name on the bottom, Britains?
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: debster on July 11, 2007, 15:33:11
cant see anything underneath on the top of the platform it is stood on its too dirty to see
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: Grandma on July 12, 2007, 08:40:15
Ooh! That takes me back, Debster!  :) When I was a nipper I had a wonderful toy farm - with loads of lead animals! (My brother had a fort with lead soldiers!)
How big is your cow though? If I remember correctly the bigger animals were around an inch high - yours looks much bigger than that.  ???
Title: Re: found a cow? in my garden
Post by: debster on July 12, 2007, 15:09:01
the cow is about and inch and a half high and two and a half long