New Case: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Mine

Ever seen a sea mine in a back garden? 

The Thing Detectives are looking for a naval mine. More specifically, before we get complaints, we're looking for a deactivated contact mine, for ornamental use.
 

A naval mine, near the sea bed, not a flower bed.

Our client dreams of having this prickly conversation piece in his garden - inspired by a spectacular explosion off the coast of Guernsey, in the Channel Islands.

We're looking for any spherical sea mine shells from the early 20th century. All mines considered! Can you help? Maybe with some targeted Googling? Maybe a tweet or two to antiques dealers?



An ex-mine, detonated off the coast of Guernsey (RCAF) 

The mine will take centre stage in a garden already home to a set of shark's jaws, a two tonne anchor (found by us), and the winning entry from the 2009 Guernsey bath tub race.

Remember: any donation the client makes based on information you provide will be passed on to you!


Please send your leads to John@thingdetectives.com or tweet directly to @thingdetectives - you may even end up in The Thing Detectives book!

We’ll update this post with is any news.

Happy searching!

JA.

New Case: The Clapham Concertina Mystery

Have you seen this concertina?  Do you want to help a Morris dancer in peril? Can you spare a lunch hour for some Thing Detecting?

On 28th June 2013 at around 11:30PM, this English concertina was left in a taxi near Clapham Common, London. It promptly disappeared – and we’d like to find it.

The missing concertina - have you seen it?

The owner is a musician and Morris dancer, and a resourceful one at that – he’s already contacted Transport for London and posted on eBay, Gumtree, Craigslist and so forth. But TFL have given up the search for the concertina; the Police have no leads.

The Thing Detectives are his last resort. We’ve started our search in local pawn brokers and bric-a-brac shops, trying to put ourselves in the mind of an opportunist thief. As yet we’ve had no luck.

Maybe you know of somewhere else to look?  Maybe you’ve seen its shiny silver trappings peeking out from underneath a table? Or maybe… on a shelf?

The scene of the disappearance: Clapham Common, London. (Google map)

The concertina – a Wheatstone 48 key tenor with the serial number 36628 - has huge sentimental value. Its unusual box was made in  the 1960s from intricate parts crafted in the 1930s. It was last seen in a soft black gig bag with a shoulder strap.

We want to reunite our Morris dancer with his instrument, so he can continue his fine English folk tradition. The question is: can you help?

All it might take is a detour into an antiques shop on your way to pick up a sandwich, or maybe a heroic phone call to your local Cash Converters…

Please send any information to John@thingdetectives.com or tweet directly to @thingdetectives, or just add a comment under this post. You may end up in The Thing Detectives book!

We’ll update this post when there is any news.

Happy searching!
JA.