Some Old Stones

This week’s article has nothing to do with curling in The Motor City.  I would like to share the story of a couple of curling stones in my collection.

Weight 39 pounds, 10 inches in diameter and 8 inches tall.  They are single soled with a flat running surface.  The drawer-pull or looped handles are brass, as is the identification tag under the handle.  The tags read: 

“Presented to James Boyd Esq.  Dunblane Feb 3^rd 1845”.

Years ago I contacted the Dunblane CC in Scotland.  They confirmed that James Boyd had been a member in the 1840’s and that he had served has their representative to the Royal Caledonian Curling Club.  This year I contacted Bob Cowan (co-author of:  The Curling History Blog – click here).  He supplied the newspaper article shown below.

I found them in an old barn of an antique dealer south of Indianapolis.  I paid $100 for the pair in about 1985.  1854 to 1985 – 131 years!  I wondered where else they stopped along their journey.   

Good curling, Angus