This item is a set of book ends made using inverted U rail and tie sections znd a bolt from the first generation of rails from the Panama Railroad. These rails were used on the Panama Railroad between the years of 1853 and 1869. This set is the nicest set of bookends I have ever seen. I lived in the town of Gatun for most of my childhood. When I graduated from Cristobal High School in 1968, one of the town residents, Robert Vache, gave me this set of bookends as a graduation gift. He also gave bookend sets to other students who graduated from CHS in 1968 and lived in Gatun. This is one of the nicest gifts I have ever received from anyone and I have used this set for almost 50 years. Mr. Vache told me that he found a set of rails under water in Gatun Lake, not far from the Monte Lario Railraod bridge. He pulled the rails and ties off of the bottom, cleaned them up and sliced them into sections to make the bookends. This item is in excellent condition (see photo below). A wonderful collectible from the former Panama Canal Zone.