Au?... and a second for me.

[MangoAve]

Wednesday night wasn't enough for me getting out and swinging for maybe 40 min. After work and the errand and unloading a few boxes I had to get out to hunt. First I was thinking to hit the cellar that I was hitting most recently...going to try and crack the code and find where the stuff is hiding. Last minute before I leave I change my mind to hit somewhere maybe 10 min closer. A cellar nearby where I had some reeeeaallly strange eyeball finds last summer, but I was looking for some other structure last summer and had not realized there was a cellar nearby. OMG was there so much iron. Learning the Pro a little bit, altho after mastering one machine I think the latest two came so easily to understand. I believe this machine will give a little pop sound when it sees iron but discriminates it out, and beeps a high tone without displaying a VDI when it's 'falsed' off iron. But that means you need to keep an eye on the display at all times instead of listening to tones and checking the VDI when you get a good tone. Maybe with the falsing this was a hard site to hit.. making it so anyone here before missed these finds. There were no leaves moved or bare spots so I don't think it was hit this summer.

After a bit in the same area as the nice find, which I will elude for this moment, I found my second dandy button. It has a nice starburst pattern visible and even the reeded edge is in great shape. A co-worker was questioning today why it was so thin thinking it deteriorated in the ground. I had to explain that because how the design was still really intact that it was the normal thickness. I have to go tell the coworker that 'Dandys' were 18th century metrosexuals. The family that owned this site was a name that I have seen many times on the old maps. Not just one town map, either. So prob a rich family in general. I guess its true, once you find one, then they finally come more often. I don't think it has to do with learning the VDI number because the first was a completely different machine.
4981749818

Somewhere away from the cellar I found a flat spot. Too bad I can't upload short vid clips directly here. Only links to them. This item fooled me at first. I thought It was a walnut or beechnut half. Turns out it was a nice pin/brooch. It really cleaned up nice, too. It might just be my first gold piece. I will let the experts on here tell what exactly it is. The center piece looks like it is Jade. I hope it will be banner-worthy.
49813498144981549816

Another odd find looks like a large sundial or such. Figured it was cool looking. Very ornate.
49819

[Bucknut]

Wow! The Jade broach thing is sweet! I think it is jade but I am not sure about the metal being gold...maybe gold plated?

[del]

Great looking dandy button Jim , I like the nice pattern and is a really good sign at a site . the brooch is very interesting the "stone" could be Jade or something that was popular early in the 1900's Bakelite . Bakelite was a very early type of hard hard plastic (thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin) it was used for many applications including cheap jewelry . PLease get the piece checked out , i'd like to think it is genuine .

Dan

[OxShoeDrew]

I love that Brooch and the center of that dandy is very distinctive. I know nothing of these things, but I'd guess the brooch is Bakelite as the back looks like it was poured. Jade is a rock, isn't it? Very nice finds Jim!

[Digger_O'Dell]

Very nice pin, but I doubt it's either gold or jade. The color and corrosion bode against it being gold. Possibly gold plated? As for the jade, first of all it's far too bright of a green. Jade is much darker and more subdued. I have many jade items at home and have seen most of the variations. Secondly, if you look at the bottom you can see the circular swirl pattern of color. That comes from incomplete mixing of colors or resins. I think the above post about Bakelite may be correct, or another form of plastic, or even glass swirled like a marble.

[Bell-Two]

Beautiful button, love the sunburst patterns. The pin is a 10 on the "pretty" factor no matter what is made of!

[BTV Digger]

Very nice dandy button for sure. Most of the few I've found don't have the full shanks so congrats. The Victorian jewelry piece is also a nice keeper, even though it's not too old. Love finding that sort of stuff.

John

[MangoAve]

The circular swirl pattern is actually from the 'lathing' process. It looks like the 'stone' was spun. The bottom was machined kinda crudely, while the top was layered, before someone took a file by hand to make the rest of the design. Someone put a process to check it out to see whether it is Bakelite and I shall be attempting this. The metal is very thin already so idk if it would be plated. There was a lot of iron in the ground at this site and just as easily a nearby nail could have rusted putting the corrosion on this item. The lack of the clasp is obvi how it was lost, but there is no iron corrosion where the claps broke. The metal part is made of three separate items. The ornate ring, the bezel (which is a flat stock bent and 'welded' at the seam), and the rope piece. Some early Bakelite items are worth some $ while the later pieces are not quite. It have just been busy getting out, as my hunting partner will be away for a bit, and busy with housing the rents whilst they close on their house.