Who Whould've Thought? RARE VINTAGE RING!!

[Ill Digger]

Sorry I'm a little late getting this posted :embarrassed: Joe (Jkress) has been getting on me about posting this. I'm just not sure what to do next :dontknow:
Maybe you guys can help? |)
Last weekend Ted,earl, and I went out and I found that big 14K ring and was so taken by that find I overlooked a little kids ring I found later in the day.The next morning while putting away the finds from the day before I came across this little ring. The face of the ring is the face of a cat. While I was brushing it off I could see some letters and writing starting to show up from under the dirt. :huh: After grabbing the magnifying glass I could make out.

Frank Buck's(along the top) JungleLand (Along the bottom)

On one side the initials NY (New York)

On the otherside it has the initials WF (Worlds Fair)

After doing a quick Google search I found out that Frank Buck was at the 1939 Worlds Fair.
Heres a link with the story of his show at the fair.
http://www.1939nyworldsfair.com/worlds_fair/wf_tour/zone-7/jungle_land.htm

But after looking at all of the history I still didn't see anything about this ring? :dontknow:
So I added the word ring to my Google search :dontknow:
Well all of a sudden all these auction sites popped up! :shocked03: :shocked04: :shocked04:stretcher:
It turns out it's quite a collectable ring :dontknow: thumbsup01
Too bad I dinged it :hairpulling: >{ But still a unique find thumbsup01
I'm wondering if maybe I should have it professionally restored or see if a ring collector would be interested in a dug ring?
After all they are supposedly awfully rare. :dontknow:
Any suggestions?
Thanks for lookin' & HH Everyone :groovy:

 

[Epi-hunter]

Here's the text that I found in a short google search:

A near mint condition example of the rare 1939 Frank Buck's Jungleland New York World's Fair ring sold for $3,800 with the buyer using the eBay Buy It Now option. This premium ring is one of the top key rings on the want lists of many ring collectors.

And you want to know if you should clean it up? :happydance01: OMG, yes!!!

 

[Ill Digger]

Here's the text that I found in a short google search:

A near mint condition example of the rare 1939 Frank Buck's Jungleland New York World's Fair ring sold for $3,800 with the buyer using the eBay Buy It Now option. This premium ring is one of the top key rings on the want lists of many ring collectors.

And you want to know if you should clean it up? :happydance01: OMG, yes!!!

Yes! :yes: thumbsup01 I seen the same one. But you know all the talk about not trying to clean you relics and all :dontknow:
In the new issue of E&WT (same one with Angel in it) there's a big article on professional restorers.
Maybe I should get in touch with one of these guys? :dontknow:

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

|:cheering: sweet find! congrats and keep us posted on any restoration :groovy:

 

[del]

Tim be careful about restorations i've seen alot of relics that needed some repair or a little fixing , bending ect. and they came back almost looking too good . what i mean is they were not even the same patina'd object , they looked like the item they got back was a reproduction that was artificially patina'd . so please if you find someone to do some repair work ask alot of questions about the process and tell them exactly how far in the restoration you want . its a great little ring by the way |:cheering: |:cheering:

Dan

 

[CODY]

Great find, please keep us posted on the results.

 

[Full Metal Digger]

Forget it Tim. That ring is junk. Just send it to me for proper disposal! You know how much I love WF rings! Congrats on a great find! Yes, get it restored and sell it.

 

[tanacat]

mg: That is definately a collectible :clapping: I'm so curious what it will look like when cleaned up :yes: At least the ding is in a more inconspicuous place than across the cat's face- to be optimistic I hardly noticed until you mentioned.

I bet it could be 'smoothed' out a little and/or when cleaned not so obvious. It might be worth having a professional work on it :thinkingabout: Antique Roadshow here we come lol

That article about Frand Buck was very interesting- what I love about this forum- learning about all sorts of history. Btw, have you seen 'Water for Elephants' yet?? The article made me think of it. Excellent movie!

 

[OxShoeDrew]

This must be your Frank Buck starring in this 1937 clip Jungle Menace.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DdlYOiDxNNA0&v=dlYOiDxNNA0&gl=US
Funny how many times we don't know what we've found until later. That's a nice historical piece you got there.

 

[jkress]

Here it is. :clapping: I was wondering when you were going to show everyone.
It looks much nicer than you described on the phone. You always seem to squeak out the exotic items. :yes: <:
Very unique design and even better that is a nice collectors piece.
I'm glad you noticed that one before it went into the junk ring bucket.

 

[Ill Digger]

|:cheering: sweet find! congrats and keep us posted on any restoration :groovy:

Thanks Dave! :groovy: I will if I do :dontknow:

Tim be careful about restorations i've seen alot of relics that needed some repair or a little fixing , bending ect. and they came back almost looking too good .

Thanks Dan! That exactly what I'm afraid of :hairpulling: I guess I'll just have to make some phone calls and do some photo sending :dontknow: Thanks for the warnings!! |)

Great find, please keep us posted on the results.

Thanks Cody :grin: We'll do :yes: thumbsup01

Forget it Tim. That ring is junk. Just send it to me for proper disposal! You know how much I love WF rings! Congrats on a great find! Yes, get it restored and sell it.

Ok buddy it's on it's way! :yes: thumbsup01
Just sit there and wait. It should be there any time now. :angelic:.............. :teasing: lol

mg: That is definately a collectible :clapping: I'm so curious what it will look like when cleaned up :yes:

crying01 IM SCARED!! :crying02: lol

At least the ding is in a more inconspicuous place than across the cat's face- to be optimistic I hardly noticed until you mentioned.

8/ lol Why couldn't it have been on the inside or maybe not a ding at all That would've been even better! :yes: lol

Btw, have you seen 'Water for Elephants' yet?? The article made me think of it. Excellent movie!

:huh: No :-\ Never heard of it. :dontknow: lol

Funny how many times we don't know what we've found until later. That's a nice historical piece you got there.

Yeah :dontknow: Who would've thought? :dontknow: lol
Hey Charlie, :thinkingabout: I can't seem to see the link your trying to show me.... :dontknow: :drool:

 

[Cheap Thrills]

:wow:Fantastic find!!! erfect10: |:cheering: thumbsup01
:groovy:

 

[Fire Fighter 43]

That is an Fantastic find, a big Congrats Tim. If it was mine I would find a couple of collectors and pick there brains about what you should do with it. I would think if it is that rare and if the right type of restoration was done you could get a good price for it. They do restore antiques, but they need to be done correctly. That guy that is featured in W&E would be the person to talk to. His work looks very good and he seems to not overdo the restoration. Good luck.

 

[Toadman]

All the best getting it restored !!

 

[milco]

Wow, what a historic item you have found, congrats! Good luck with whatever you decide to do with it. I agree find a couple interested collectors, get their take on it and then let the bidding war begin.

 

[Ill Digger]

I agree find a couple interested collectors, get their take on it and then let the bidding war begin.

lol Yeah. I'm just not sure how the value will be affected?
I mean it's rare. O.K. :dontknow: But is it so rare that collectors will still be even a little bit interested even though it's been dug AND dinged? >{ :dontknow:

All the best getting it restored !!

Thanks Rick :beerbuddy:

That guy that is featured in W&E would be the person to talk to. His work looks very good and he seems to not overdo the restoration. Good luck.

Thanks Jeff thumbsup01
Question for ya...
Which one sounds (just by the description in the mag) like the one you'd chose to do it for you..... if it was yours? :dontknow: :->

.

:wow:Fantastic find!!! erfect10: |:cheering: thumbsup01
:groovy:

Thanks man! thumbsup01 :groovy:

 

[BillZ]

Very cool find!
It reminds me of the Roy Rogers saddle ring I found a couple of years ago. Although yours is much more valuable.
Please keep us updated on what you decide to do with it.

 

[Sal66]

erfect10: Real nice find! After reading all the posts, I totally agree with Dan. It may actually devaluate the price if it's too restored. Maybe fix the ding with filler copper and have it color matched is all I would do.

CONGRATS!!
SAL66 (AKA 2-Cent Sal )

 

[Sal66]

Here's the Picture that Tanacat was talking about and it appears to be brass. Here's the link. If it doesn't work left clicking the right click and choose open. I sent an email to the websites contact adress to get more info. about it as there is no information about it. It might of actually been made after the War due to brass being in demand at that time. I don't even think it was an item purchased at the fair itself, rather made privately in low numbers.

http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/public/default.asp?t=1&m=1&c=34&s=262&ai=55294&arch=y&ssd=2/17/2007%2012:01:00%20PM

 

[Sal66]

Updated Info. on post 18 below. I enjoyed helping to find information on this item, although I'm still waiting for an e-mail for more info. about as there is only one other that I could find.