Some silver plate, purse, and widows.

[MangoAve]

Friday I got out with Kev to the site where I got my nice brooch. He got two flat buttons, one with an eagle backmark and best quality. Seems those are dated 1815-1830 but is civilian. I used the TR and the 4 Inch nugget coil this time and hit the cellar area well. I didn't quite get much time by the area where I found the brooch. Right on the surface by the walkout I got a button. Since it was missing the shank and had some writing I thought it was a coin with a toasted side. Turns out the toasted side is just meant to be flat and there was silver plating hiding behind the crud. I was lucky the hot peroxide helped loosen it. It went from black to a greenish tint and was gritty like sand. The nice dandy, the nice brooch, the silver plate button, a best quality button. They def took pride in their appearance at this homestead.


Saturday was a different place. Where I intended to go, they were doing logging so I just hit the cellar closest to the parking area. Turns out it was hiding a nice ornate silver plate spoon. I don't see any maker or info on it. Based upon the plating, I can def date it between 1843 and 1900. The place was long gone before the 1930's. Across where two cellars are located (one is more hidden) I pulled up another two axe heads. Some big spike came out and another iron clock weight. Apparently I searched online and not only were they brass, but some were cast iron. Just some overload signals. I also pulled up this tin. I'll let those research it altho I know what it is. I drove up a ways to hit another spot where I got a few buckles and an IH. Only one more buckle was hiding. The odds and ends and the buckle I still need to take a pic of. One Item I think is the ring for a horse harness.

Sunday I got back out with Kev. This time we tried to hit a spot I found used to be an old hotel. It too, now that I check the aerial to find a location, was gone by the 30's. The site is hard to place the structure based upon the topography. I got two whatsit items along with the top of a coin purse. Alto it is nice and ornate, it is brass. I also checked and rechecked the area but no coins from the purse. ugh. It may warrant another check, but it is on the back burner for now. It is a site littered with cans from teens going up there.

 

[Bucknut]

Nice relics. Too bad that there were no coins with that coin purse...always been a dream of mine to find one with some old coins.

 

[Tony Two-Cent]

Interesting finds. Those 3 Merry Widows containers must be a lot more prominent in your area, we don't seem to find them here in Illinois.

 

[Lodge Scent]

Nice digs Mango. Merry Widows is always an interesting find. What are the 2 objects with the nickel in the 4th pic down ?

 

[MangoAve]

Nice digs Mango. Merry Widows is always an interesting find. What are the 2 objects with the nickel in the 4th pic down ?

Yeah. I mentioned on FB about the price being expensive for that time period. I'll have to explain that the rents are over while they close on their house moving south for retirement because it might be questioned why someone my age would be seeing an old episode of Green Acres. Lol. But there was one they had on about the phone company and a worker said $1.34 was his whole month's salary.

Those are actually stone cylinders. Idk what they are for but they were found out there in the middle of the woods near a cellar hole. I am sure there are more pieces to it. I am not sure what a 3" diameter stone cylinder was used for.... eyeball find on top of the ground. (The silver plate button was on top of the ground but was so small it was covered with the leaves.)

Interesting finds. Those 3 Merry Widows containers must be a lot more prominent in your area, we don't seem to find them here in Illinois.

Finds are always interesting with me. Lol. Idky I seem to pull up some strange stuff. I can't say it's from digging every signal (cuz I don't but the veterans usually do). That is odd, but it seems you hit mostly parks and houses. This was at a cellar. I'm guessing because we have many more houses that fell in the 20s or 30s around this area which would have had some 'trash' inside at the time they fell.

Nice relics. Too bad that there were no coins with that coin purse...always been a dream of mine to find one with some old coins.

Ugh...I know. A kick in the junk. Dan said he came across quite a few and with the same result as me. I guess those who do find coins inside a tiny change purse or cosmetic tin are just lucky.

 

[BTV Digger]

Nice finds and keepers from the trashy areas. You show some good patience as I imagine the iron tones and soda/beer can ear blasters were frequent. Quick question. You mention having confidence dating silver plate with few or no backmarks on them. I've also found several large silver plated old spoons with no markings on them. Just curious on how you go about dating them? I'm sure mine are also from the 1800s based on the date of the sites I found them at, but don't have a clue on approximate age without the marks. Thanks in advance for any guidance/help.

John

 

[Bell-Two]

That is some interesting finds, I have never found a 3 Merry Widows tin I think they are neat. Nice purse frame too!

 

[MangoAve]

The Odds and Ends pics I finally took yesterday along with the recent finds.
There was a second clock weight I unearthed during the above mentioned hunt. Found 40 or so miles away from the first one. A fair amount must have been cast iron. The second pic shows the buckle, something like a coffee pot strainer, ceramic piece, and possibly a bell. I took a side view of the possi-bell to see if others think that's what it is. The shape is odd whatever it is. The item looks like a showerhead from the side, but It most definitely is not a showerhead. The ring might be for a horse harness. It is quite large (and brass). Too small for a door knocker, and it was a little ways away from the cellar. I think the carriages did go to the back of the house which is where it was pulled up. The last pic is a huge overload spike. Not sure of it's usage.


Yesterday Kev and I hit an old school. The back was a park as of 1926. There was a plaque which also stated 1879 for the trees, but the sure weren't that old. The only 'good' find for me was a 39 wheat. Kev got a junker ring with a peace symbol. The second school was 1861. I pulled up a huge plated spoon. Somewhat ornate. Surprisingly the bowl still has the plating inside. Again, no makers.

Nice finds and keepers from the trashy areas. You show some good patience as I imagine the iron tones and soda/beer can ear blasters were frequent. Quick question. You mention having confidence dating silver plate with few or no backmarks on them. I've also found several large silver plated old spoons with no markings on them. Just curious on how you go about dating them? I'm sure mine are also from the 1800s based on the date of the sites I found them at, but don't have a clue on approximate age without the marks. Thanks in advance for any guidance/help.

The newer machine I was using at the hotel. It is sensitive so it falses off iron a little more often, but the recovery time outweights that aspect by just a bit. There were only a few times hearing the GTI warble for a close target, but this white's has given many many overload signals. It does blast a bit. I just pulled up another one yesterday. Part of the response might be a bit proprietary so I will PM you.

That is some interesting finds, I have never found a 3 Merry Widows tin I think they are neat. Nice purse frame too!

Thanks Tony.

 

[OxShoeDrew]

I don't know if I'd dig a tin full of coins as it might sound like large iron. I wonder how many I've put my coil over :lol: Wow you found two clock weights of late :shocked03: Is that just the top of the widows case or did you get the whole thing?