050715-050714 Finds.

[wmas1960]

As I mentioned in another thread or two last night, got out to Lake Michigan for a bit and did some detecting. Was a beautiful night with the waves rolling in hard and a nice breeze coming in off the lake. Lately, I would be dripping with perspiration after a short time of detecting, largely, I guess, from the humidity and heat. However, I hardly noticed it last night. The crowds were modest and I had plenty of room to detect. Here are a couple pictures of my finds. Nothing steller really. I did find a 1944 Wheat Penny and an earing that seems to be hand hammered and painted. Close look at it, I don't think it is a significant metal though. I also found some more bottle caps for my growing collection.

I got home last night and crashed out on the computer. When I woke up to go to bed, couldn't sleep. As I lay there, the sun started shining through the windows so I decided to head back down to the beach and do a little more detecting. I got down to the park and at 5:30 the gates were still locked. Bummed out a bit, I decided to drive to a park that I never knew about before. Looking, the other day, at the Park District website, I learned of all kinds of parks, in this town, that I hadn't known of. Each park lists facilities like Outdoor Skating in Winter, Tot Lots, Exercise paths, Tennis... and what other activities or facilities are available. Anyways, I headed over there as it was only about a mile from the beach. First hit was a ring. I think it might be Bronze. Has some green in the grooves and a rich brown patina. I also sense some gold color coming through the patina. The patina seems deliberately applied. In addition, I also found a key that might be to a hand cuff or other small lock. A 1992 1 Deutsch Mark coin and a pen that says "The American Club, Kohler, WI". I found another item, about the size of a dime that has a starbust kind of pattern to it. Has some kind of surface on the back where it might have been affixed to something else. Perhaps a button or snap. Didn't get a great picture of it though.

In addition to both outings finds, found the standard coinage and some bottle caps, foil, a few pull tabs....

 

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[omnicognic]

it's easy to tell the difference between the freshwater lakeside bottle caps and the gulf beach bottle caps we find here. I was beginning to think they sealed bottles here with some kind of compressed rust! Great finds! Good hunting! omnicognic 8)

 

[wmas1960]

From looking at the caps here, I don't think they will last that long either. I do find quite a few that are rusted beyond recognition. Much of what I have been finding lately, may only a few days to a week or so old. There were a bunch of kids out on the beach last night, in the area where I was searching this morning. I would guess, when it got dark, and most of the adults had left, the coolers opened up.

I have found some caps, seemingly modern, whee there is some rust showing. Maybe a couple months to a year old. Might only take a scratch in the paint to get it started.

I do have to agree though, from what I have found out on the beach in SW FLA, I have never found one as pristine as some that I have found here.

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Wow, thats a lot of hunting!!

Keep at it and HH!!

 

[lonewolfe]

Great stuff, love that cool looking ring!

HH

Lonewolfe

 

[Mona Lisa]

You done good!

I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything but......that is one ugly ring! Ooops, I actually typed that didn't I?

 

[wmas1960]

You done good!

I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything but......that is one ugly ring!? ?? Ooops, I actually typed that didn't I?? ?

No harm done.? It is an ugly ring.? ?Imagine my thoughts....?

I have only found 2 pieces of jewelry in my life, not counting the childrens jewelry charms that I have found, (cheap metal, painted, one says Barbie on it, feels like plastic but beeps to the detector...) I go to a new park I have never searched before.? I set the coil on the sand right on a target and get a solid beep.? I dig it up and find this thick heavy ring,? All covered and caked with sand....? I get kind of excted and put it in my pocket.? Then, when I get home and wash it off.? Not only does it turn out to be some ugly thing, it isn't even gold or silver.

In all seriousness though, from my experience taking jewelry classes, it seems like it might have been a project ring for a jewelry class or something someone made to play with lost wax casting.? It seems hand built from wax, in a sort of free form kind of way. Perhaps, then embellished with different modeling and shaping techniques to demonstrate some ability to make smooth, rounded, beaded ends and such. Then, cast in bronze.? Has a rich brown patina on it and some gold tone coming through in spots.? The metal has some green in the grooves etc. so I am pretty certain there is no gold in it.? ? ?

It is kind of interesting though in a few ways.? I got some Precious Metal Clay,(PMC3) some time ago and have been trying to think of something to do with it. Just couldn't find some creative inspiration.? ?PMC3 is a clay that when fired will burn away leaving only silver behind. It is a clay substance (binders etc) that hold small particals of pure .999 silver behind.? The silver melts and pools together, forming the jewelry while the clay burns cleanly away.? ?Wanted to get back into making a little jewelry.? This ring may have sparked some inspiration and ideas for what I might be able to do.? ? I have a few other items that I have found while detecting.? Maybe there is a way to set something into a ring.? Use some of the inspiration from that piece and work it into a setting for one of my other finds.? ?

?

 

[bigrig40]

nice post and cool digs.

peace,bigrig

 

[Mona Lisa]

Wmas, it definitely looks like a handmade ring. It looks hard to make with all the openings on it. If you make one of your own, you'll have to post it, so we can see what you've done. I promise I won't criticize it.....unless it's as ugly as this one. Oooops, I actually typed that again, didn't I?

 

[Getty]

I like that ring.WTG!! That earring loks hand made too ,out of a spinnerbait blade.HH

 

[wmas1960]

I like that ring.WTG!! That earring loks hand made too ,out of a spinnerbait blade.HH

That is what I thougth the earing was when I first found it. Thought it was a Lure. Then, when I got home, I found the finding, (Hook and bead) on the top and realized it was an earing.

 

[phxmark123]

Nice finds

You done good!

I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything but......that is one ugly ring!? ?? Ooops, I actually typed that didn't I?? ?

it seems like it might have been a project ring for a jewelry class or something someone made to play with lost wax casting.

?

I remember the lost wax technique from my high school metal shop. But took styrofoam and carved it with a hot knife until we got our design, packed it in a box of sand, poured in the molten metal, let cool, unpacked, grinded, polished and then had us a metal sculpture.

 

[allen]

lots of clad, bottle caps and an ugly ring. good day of detecting id say. keep on digging !!!