Not bad Yrag . Now lets get to the bottom on this. MGiff, did your Grandmother keep the tag in a little tin memento box?

Now an 'Old' Tin Memento Box is worth some bucks...

It was in a cardboard box with some pictures, letters and french coins from the 1930's. I have to admit, we are a packratting family, a quality passed down through the ages. I'm beginning to think that maybe she cut it off a part in the factory where she worked and saved it, perhaps as a momento from that time in her life. I was a bit confused about the German part but I think that's been cleared up, it would not have been odd to see that back then, I don't guess. Thanks everyone for your input and,

yrag, whatcha mean about big bucks?? I've found several old tins!

Some 'Tins' (and some weren't even tin) where 'special runs' for certain product distribution. There would have been a limited amount made at the time and, of course, would be very rare today. Thus it's value. A good example would be when Milton Hershey started his Chocolate business, he sold some of his candy in Hand painted 'Decanters' Today, they are both extremely rare and valuable. If it's just a Tin can...well then that's all it is...a tin can. If, however, it's from a company and it appears to be a limited run (and no. there is no easy way to know)....turn it over and on the bottom will be the company's name and address and date. Check it out before you toss it or throw it in another storage bin..

Jafo and Yrag pretty much hit the head
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Yes they did and I appreciate it! Both of you have answered my question splendidly!

some telephone poles have little "dog tags" on them. Mabye Germany does too?

I didn't think of those! I don't think Hirth made telephone poles though!

The German word 'Werkzeug' translates to 'tool' in English. Tags like this are found quite commonly on tools made for industry, such as molds for injection molding or stamping dies for forming metal. The tags are usually attached to the tools because the tools are normally the property of the customer who is receiving the products made from the tool rather than the property of the factory who is using the tool to produce the part. Modern tags usually have a bit more information on them such as the date the tool was manufactured, a part number or product code for the part producd by the tool, the name of the toolmaker, etc. But the principle is the same in that the tag identifies who owns the tool and a number for accountability. Quite a few companies in the US made components for Hirth here in the US before and after WWII because it was cheaper to produce the parts in the US than to produce them in Germany and ship them over. I can't state for certain that this is the source of the tag, but that would be my best guess.

Milling Tools, Lathe Tooling, and on and on...

Shameless, that sounds like the perfect explanation. Thank you.

No MGiff, the item in question was found in your Grandmother's memento box. Therefore on the balance of probabilities it meant somthing special. I'd like to think she met a certain someone under the light of a telegraph pole long ago. You know shades of "Titanic" etc.

No MGiff, the item in question was found in your Grandmother's memento box. Therefore on the balance of probabilities it meant somthing special. I'd like to think she met a certain someone under the light of a telegraph pole long ago. You know shades of "Titanic" etc.

Double post, just finger trouble

Swapping Industrial secrets to the tune of 'The Harry Lyme Theme'....ah...trenchcoats in the rain....the waft of cigarette smoke....black and white movies.....