Aurel Sercu Posted 19 July , 2019 Share Posted 19 July , 2019 I have already posted this question - that was some days ago - at the end of a different Topic (re Lt. Dennis Shoppee), but as there was no response so far (which is understandable), I will give it a new chance, in a new Topic. A question on behalf of an acquaintance ... Regarding a mysterious object In the town hall of Nieuport (Nieuwpoort, Belgian coast) a stone is kept which was found in the debris of Shoppee's Tower, and old fortified chuch tower , which served as an observation post for the major part of the First World War. The archivist thinks it served as an orientation table and the hole in it could have been for a compass. Has anyone any idea what the patterns could refer to? The measurements are approx 3 ft x 1 1/2 ft. Is it a signaller's stone? *** It does look indeed like a bizarre object. And not 100% symmetrical. I myself have absolutely no idea. I also learned that these rectangles appear to have been made with a thin chisel. Important : we are not at all sure it is WW1 related. And if so, it could be French as well... Or older ? Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted 19 July , 2019 Share Posted 19 July , 2019 It might just be a lithographic printing stone. If it is a very fine grain limestone (e.g. Solnhofen Limestone) and quite thick, 50mm or more, then it is a possibility. The geometric pattern is one I have seen quite a few times showing the layout of aerial photos on a map, so if this is a lithographic stone, it could have been used to print that pattern on a map as an overlay. Only a thought. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 21 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 21 July , 2019 Howard, Thanks for your posting. You may (may) be right. (And the exact measurements appear to be 59,5 x 35 x 9 cm thick). The problem however : it was found in the ruins of the tower. And we wonder whether a printer would install his business there, as the tower was the target of German artillery. But then : was the stone ever part of the tower ?.. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted 21 July , 2019 Share Posted 21 July , 2019 It reminded me of maps like this one. A lot of Great War maps were printed off zinc plates but some places still used stone (HMSO still used stone until the 1960s!). A lot of maps have the basemap overprinted at a later date with updated information like this, the photographic coverage of an area. If it was a printing stone the rectangles would not look chiselled but "on" the surface. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 22 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2019 Howard, Thanks for your posting. And looking at your illustration, I do understand. There certainly is a striking resemblance ! (Though some differences too, like the proporions short side / long side. And I am still wondering about the almost perfect symmetry of the rectangles on my (Luc's) photo...) If only we were absolutely sure the stone is WW1 related ... Until then (and even later ?) it remains a mystery ... Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted 22 July , 2019 Share Posted 22 July , 2019 The other oddity is the rounded corners of the rectangles, not usual with photographs. I am of course only clutching at straws! Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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