I thought you'd appreciate this story but I'd also appreciate it if you didn't pass it on to D., it being about bidnizz & stuff.

A guy came in the office last week with a sack full of estate silverware that didn't sell. Lee bought the whole sack so when I came in after work, we started to go through it. Almost all of it was old & we started going over the markings. We found a lot of knives, forks & spoons marked "J. Conning Mobile". Lee tells me, "Go look him up!"

Come to find out "J. Conning" was James Conning(1813-1872) who was a silversmith in Mobile from 1840 to 1872. During the Civil War, he build a sword factory for the Confederacy.
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/capecodattic/item/RL914

I found one of his butter knives selling online in England for $350.

The next day sold Lee most of the batch to D.. Lee made a profit and so will she. He also has lots of silver left over.

Like Lee sez,"I can take a bath in a bucket of shit and come out smelling like a rose."

best,
rr