Tredegar Artillary Mold?

Tredegar

Cadet
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Thanks for making this site available and greetings from Richmond!
I picked up this cast iron mold recently from the basement of a historic home where the same family has remained for over a century and about a mile from the Tredegar foundry.
I have cleaned it (to see any identifying markings and to protect it) and applied a thin layer of Crisco so it's on the shiny side currently.
I have no doubt considering the situation on how I acquired it that it is an early mold, but what and why the transverse seam?
The internal diameter is 6 13/16 inches and there is no semicircle for a filling hole.
I would appreciate any thoughts on if this is an artlillary mold and for what?
Thanks, Chris
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3082.JPG
    IMG_3082.JPG
    158.8 KB · Views: 150
  • IMG_3077.JPG
    IMG_3077.JPG
    176.1 KB · Views: 127
  • IMG_3081.JPG
    IMG_3081.JPG
    153.6 KB · Views: 158
  • IMG_3078.JPG
    IMG_3078.JPG
    137.3 KB · Views: 130
  • IMG_3079.JPG
    IMG_3079.JPG
    154.6 KB · Views: 179
Not an expert on artillery and or molds, but may I suggest you inquire of this artifact by contacting a Civil War artifacts dealer, of which there are many. If you live right there in Richmond, there are multiple museum curators that could probably help you with this. I would try the Museum of the Confederacy first.
 
Artillery projectiles were sand cast in mold forms. Initially pondered if this could be a mold blank form but the interlocking fixtures of the two halves would not be well suited for that purpose. Artillery shells/shot mold blank forms were normally noted to be wooden for the casting blocks with attached pouring and air vents positioned differently that this item.

Richmond had a number of different iron foundries existing prior, during and post war... Tredegar (aka: J. R. Anderson Company) was just one of many in the same general region of the city.... Tredegar certainly is the most recognized since they produced cannon and shells under private contract during the war... and the only one that still has parts thereof remaining... or has been restored....from that era... but they were not the only horse in the race..... Also of note is that Tredegar went on with business long after the war... ornamental and decorative ironworks, industrial parts, railroad equipment,.... and once again making artillery shells during the world wars... thus items that might possibly be somehow related to Tredegar.. might also not be civil war era Tredegar related... which was only a small era of its overall existence...
 
Thanks for making this site available and greetings from Richmond!
I picked up this cast iron mold recently from the basement of a historic home where the same family has remained for over a century and about a mile from the Tredegar foundry.
I have cleaned it (to see any identifying markings and to protect it) and applied a thin layer of Crisco so it's on the shiny side currently.
I have no doubt considering the situation on how I acquired it that it is an early mold, but what and why the transverse seam?
The internal diameter is 6 13/16 inches and there is no semicircle for a filling hole.
I would appreciate any thoughts on if this is an artlillary mold and for what?
Thanks, Chris
Hello Chris.

Welcome to CivilWarTalk.

Thanks for sharing a few photos of an interesting object.

Hopefully someone can tell us exactly what you have.
 
The hinge/clasp is similar to those used in waffle irons and wafer irons. My guess is that one could pour some batter into one side, close the iron and rotate the iron over an open fire. My hypothesis is that you would end up with a hollow pastry to which you could then add a filling.
 
Not an expert on artillery and or molds, but may I suggest you inquire of this artifact by contacting a Civil War artifacts dealer, of which there are many.

I wouldn't rule out the US Army Ordnance Museum. Link: http://www.ordmusfound.org/

They were located at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds but are or have moved to Fort Lee. I contacted them about a rare Confederate artillery gun and I was able to talk to someone on the phone.
 
Back
Top