Colonial Barrel Spigot? Dug today in Mebane, NC!

[FoundInNC]

I dug this beautiful old brass spigot today, or keg tap as they are most well known. I found it at my site that produced 2 capped bust dimes and an 1858 trime. I have also found multiple post colonial flat buttons on this site. You colonial experts please chime in with your opinions on this tap. I am trying to see if there was 1700s activity on this site, and am relying on relics alone as my research. Everybody is welcome to share thoughts! Sorry there are not more pictures of my finds today, but it was sooooo hot, i only hunted for two hours. Is it 18th century or later?

Also, I am experimenting with a new method of "dry cleaning" old brass relics, because i find that the green patina sometimes comes off with water. I think this method keeps brass relics looking much more presentable.

Before cleaning

And after

 

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[jamesbibb]

Late 18th to early 19th Century tap nice one too!!!

 

[Wldbil]

But cool find.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Looks post-colonial to me but still a nice find. And good job on the dry cleaning. You did the right thing.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

On 2nd thought, I decided to check out the whole spigot I had in my display case and realized it was pretty much the same as yours except for the fact that yours is broken off. Mine was dug next to the summer kitchen at a c1666 site where the original home is still standing. So I apologize for my hasty comment earlier, and I'd like to correct myself and say your spigot is likely late 18th century. I'm showing some pics of mine including a barrel tap key that fits it perfectly. I just found this key at a site recently where the finds were generally from the late 1700s to mid 1800s. The spigot was dug 9 years ago about 50 miles away. Anyway, I just wanted to correct my earlier statement. Nice find!

 

[FoundInNC]

Thanks for the info Bill! Our spigots are similar. Mine does not accept a key, did you find yours in Virginia or NC?

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

All my stuff was found in SE Virginia.

 

[BrokenLance]

The spigot you found recently

Hello my name is Eric and I have been metal detecting since the 80's. Presently I am helping a friend restore an 1800 era house/store that was erected in the small village of Bath Ontario (called Erenstown before and after the War of 1812). I have been recovering many the artifacts around the foundation of the house and presently under the 1960 era concrete floor. I have found approx 25 British tokens ranging fromn 1812 onwards around the limestone foundation as well as a Spanish Real coin dated 1678. Getting to the point about the spigot you found, I have found the identical one except it has the complete tap and coincidentally broken at the same end where it is pounded into the keg. Either I dug up an identical American Colonia Spigot that made its way to Loyalest British territory (Bath Was attacked during the War of 1812) i.e. and ended up in the basement of a War of 1812 era house or the spigot you found is British which is what I believe and ended up in North Carolina prior to the American War of Independence. Probably made in England and shipped to the American colonies. My educated guess your spigot is British in origin and pre American War of Independence. Hope this helps. Regards Eric

I dug this beautiful old brass spigot today, or keg tap as they are most well known. I found it at my site that produced 2 capped bust dimes and an 1858 trime. I have also found multiple post colonial flat buttons on this site. You colonial experts please chime in with your opinions on this tap. I am trying to see if there was 1700s activity on this site, and am relying on relics alone as my research. Everybody is welcome to share thoughts! Sorry there are not more pictures of my finds today, but it was sooooo hot, i only hunted for two hours. Is it 18th century or later?

Also, I am experimenting with a new method of "dry cleaning" old brass relics, because i find that the green patina sometimes comes off with water. I think this method keeps brass relics looking much more presentable.
View attachment 631947
Before cleaning

And after
View attachment 631946
View attachment 631949

 

[Silver Searcher]

I dug this beautiful old brass spigot today, or keg tap as they are most well known. I found it at my site that produced 2 capped bust dimes and an 1858 trime. I have also found multiple post colonial flat buttons on this site. You colonial experts please chime in with your opinions on this tap. I am trying to see if there was 1700s activity on this site, and am relying on relics alone as my research. Everybody is welcome to share thoughts! Sorry there are not more pictures of my finds today, but it was sooooo hot, i only hunted for two hours. Is it 18th century or later?

Also, I am experimenting with a new method of "dry cleaning" old brass relics, because i find that the green patina sometimes comes off with water. I think this method keeps brass relics looking much more presentable.
View attachment 631947
Before cleaning

And after
View attachment 631946
View attachment 631949

That's a cool spigot and you right NOT to use water, water can actually speed up the process of bronze disease, but try and keep your dug items including coins, damp with the earth they come from.

SS

 

[SOSDIVING]

GRAND FIND, and thanks for sharing! NC has some great spots! Congrats from Raleigh.

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

On 2nd thought, I decided to check out the whole spigot I had in my display case and realized it was pretty much the same as yours except for the fact that yours is broken off. Mine was dug next to the summer kitchen at a c1666 site where the original home is still standing. So I apologize for my hasty comment earlier, and I'd like to correct myself and say your spigot is likely late 18th century. I'm showing some pics of mine including a barrel tap key that fits it perfectly. I just found this key at a site recently where the finds were generally from the late 1700s to mid 1800s. The spigot was dug 9 years ago about 50 miles away. Anyway, I just wanted to correct my earlier statement. Nice find!

View attachment 632076

View attachment 632082

View attachment 632083

Cool find Found in NC, always wondered what the nipple thing near the spout was for, or is it help during casting ?

Not to hijack your thread or thread, but as I'm ignorant about these I'd like Bill to look at mine here Thanks in advance.

This one of my favorite finds, and totally complete, smaller than any other i've seen, Can you put a rough date on this one Bill ?

 

[ironhorse]

Cool find Found in NC, always wondered what the nipple thing near the spout was for, or is it help during casting ?

Not to hijack your thread or thread, but as I'm ignorant about these I'd like Bill to look at mine here Thanks in advance.

This one of my favorite finds, and totally complete, smaller than any other i've seen, Can you put a rough date on this one Bill ?

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=976187"/>

The "nipple thing" near the spout is what you could strike with a hammer to pound the spigot into the cask bung to dispense the liquids inside

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

The "nipple thing" near the spout is what you could strike with a hammer to pound the spigot into the cask bung to dispense the liquids inside

Exactly, and makes perfect sense...forgot to "think"

 

[treblehunter]

Wow, I love your find, now that was a great read and interesting thread with all the info on those spigots. Good work, now go find the change that fell out of there pockets after they drank beer.

 

[romeo-1]

The "nipple thing" near the spout is what you could strike with a hammer to pound the spigot into the cask bung to dispense the liquids inside

I always thought it was for hanging a bucket on...ha!

 

[ironhorse]

I always thought it was for hanging a bucket on...ha!

After a few buckets of beer,,,,I think that's what they're for too lol

 

[Elad]

I dug this fragment not too long ago. Shape seems to match what you guys have.

 

[Carolina Tom]

Very nice find. Congrats. Keep those Carolina relics coming.

 

[Steve in PA]

I would like to see some reliable information on dating these spigots. The same basic style of bodies and spouts seem to turn up on my earliest sites here in Western Pennsylvania (1750s) up to mid 19th century sites. The only difference I see between them is the on/off mechanism. Some use a keyed cap that fit on top of the spigot with a key that fit through opening in the cap used to turn the spigot on and off. Others have the "key" cast into the on/off valve. I can't say one is older than the other because I have not found enough of each type on sites I can date accurately. My guess is the ones with the separate key were more commonly used on military and tavern contexts since the flow from the tap could be controlled (so to speak). Here are some pictures of ones that I have found showing both types.

I agree the front nipple was used to pound the spigot into the bung hole and may have also served as a place to hang a cup or bucket.

 

[Mach1Pilot]

If it helps the attempt to date these things - here are a pair of them that I have found in Western PA as well... both of these have the T handle instead of a key, and were found at two sites dated the same as what Steve is describing in his post above.