Dating historical nails

Can you date old buildings from their nails?

Dating old buildings from their nails is not a precise technique, but when used with discretion, it has proved generally reliable and useful, for example, in In­ dependence Hall which has been sub­ jected to a complex series of alterations from 1750 to the present time. If a sufficient number of samples are taken

How old is my Nail?

My estimate of the age of your nail is 1830 or a bit older, with an earliest date of 1815. Nelson, Lee, Nail Chronology As An Aid to Dating Old Buildings, Technical Leaflet 48.

What are nail chronological details?

Nelson (NPS) and other nail chronologists point out, however that a wealth other details can describe the date of production and use of each of those three general nail types. In turn, nail details can establish the time of original construction of a building and the time of modifications to the structure.

What are antique and modern nails?

Antique & modern Nails, including wood treenails, hand-wrought nails, cut nails, wire nails, compared. Here we describe antique and modern cut nails focusing on tree nails, wrought nails, and cut nails used in wood frame construction or interior finishing or carpentry work.

Can nail chronology be used to date old buildings?

NAIL CHRONOLOGY as an aid to dating old buildings The National Park Service in its his­ toric structures restoration program has developed some research techniques in the general field of nail chronology as an aid to dating old buiUlings.

How do nail details determine the age of a building?

In turn, nail details can establish the time of original construction of a building and the time of modifications to the structure. In addition to nails, building material, wood saw cut marks, and other hardware details can further assist in determining building age.

When did they start using nails for construction?

(Nelson NPS) The roots of producing nails by machine date from 1590. Hand wroughht nails were used for construction and later more for decoration. The scarcity of nails in colonial Virginia was reflected in a statute enacted in 1645 to prohibit settlers from burning down old buildings for their nails.

How old is my Nail?

My estimate of the age of your nail is 1830 or a bit older, with an earliest date of 1815. Nelson, Lee, Nail Chronology As An Aid to Dating Old Buildings, Technical Leaflet 48.

What are antique and modern cut nails?

Here we describe antique and modern cut nails focusing on tree nails, wrought nails, and cut nails used in wood frame construction or interior finishing or carpentry work. We include useful dates for the manufacture of different nail types along with supporting research for various countries from Australia and the U.K. to the U.S. to New Zealand.

What kind of nails were used in the 1800s?

During the 1800’s, cut nails have tapered rectangular shafts and rectangular heads. In the 1900’s, the round wire nail with straight sides and a round head are the standard. Nails are one of many clues to the age and authenticity of antique furniture and building construction as well.

How can you tell if a nail is real or antique?

Modern, fully machine-made nails, which were fabricated after the 1890s have round heads and shanks. If the nail head is a perfect circle, the piece is less likely to be an antique. Reproductions of older nails are made with molds.

Can modern nails be used to repair antique furniture?

However, modern nails are frequently used to repair antique furniture. If no obviously antique nails are found in the furniture, further inspection may be warranted. Its difficult to date nail heads that arent round, so Real or Repo includes a chart that can help date square nails.