19th century Whiskey stoneware jug found in stream!!!!

[HutSiteDigger]

Turn Of The Century Whiskey stoneware jug!!

Made an AWESOME recovery today... Was hunting a place in Stafford,Virginia where the first court-house was est. that I have found some pretty interesting artifacts before. Got too the spot and the woods were just so covered in vegetation and poison ivy/oak it made hunting impossible. I decided too go down to the stream too wash up after going thru a spot that was all poison ivy/oak, when I got down too the stream I saw a old broken 1920s bottle and thought nothing of it (lot of broken glass and pottery all through this area) then I noticed about 5 yards away what I thought at first was a paint can or something sticking out of the stream! Went over too it and noticed it was not a paint can but pottery and I still had my doubts since it was butt end in the stream, then after prying it out of the mud I noticed the dark coloring and instantly knew it was a stoneware whiskey jug. I couldn't have been more excited. We find pieces of these jugs all over the place but very rarely find them intact. The handle too it is broken off but I couldn't have asked for a better save. There is writing on the bottom of the jug that starts with J (something) assuming it is the pottery manufacture who made the jug.

 

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[sfox87]

Nice find!! I see broken pieces everywhere, I've only found one whole one and i was so excited when I found it. Too bad the handle on yours is broken but it's still awesome

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Yep on the handle part~ I just put this up on the fireplace mantel and it looks AWESOME! Unreal how you find stuff sometimes when you least expect it. I am so glad i went down too the stream too wash up! It was almost as if something was trying too lead me down there... Time too go play in the stream again tomorrow : )

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

That's a cool find but I believe it dates to the early 1900s. We used to commonly dig those out of turn-of-the-century dumps in the Norfolk area so I doubt it's 19th century unless it's 1890s.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Aren't the ones from the early 20th century normally stamped USA or stamped. Sent a photo too a friend of mine who see's this stuff all the time and said it is more then likely from the 1880s-1890s. But I guess it could be from the early 20th century. Will have him look @ it in person in two days when he gets back from Gettysburg.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Also too note Bill . I know you commonly dig these all the time like i commonly dig eagle buttons and NY militia buttons, but the way i found it today excited me. Good luck down there hope too head down that way soon for vacation.

 

[wvwildman]

cool jug man ya might find the still next

 

[Steve in PA]

Always a thrill to find an intact ceramic jug or jar. I dug a lot of late 19th / early 20th century bottle dumps in my younger days (before my metal detecting days) and I have to concur with Bill, 1890s at the earliest for that jug and more likely 1900 to 1920. Ceramic jugs were usually used until they broke, and can be a number of years older than the bottles they are found with in some cases. I have seen these brown & white jugs laying broken with bottles that are as late as the 1930s and 40s.

 

[vpnavy]

Nice find HutSiteDigger.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Thanks for the input Steve. Knew i could get some too weigh in on it. Hoping this is a Turn Of The Century one. The one like in the photo is basically the same type i have and hear these styles (color and way its made,etc) are normally the ones dating from 1890s-1910??...

Title should be "Turn Of The Century stoneware found" Thanks for the comments!

 

[mangum]

Awesome that you found a whole one! Nice save! I have one exactly like it but it was given to me, not found. HH!

 

[damiani1]

Sweet find, surprised it is still there after a fairly long time. Talking about items being in a spot for a long time, a guy on youtube "deep digger dan" finds a gold roman coin when he was at a roman museum wedged under a rock on a very old roman road

 

[BuckleBoy]

A newer jug (early 20th c), but not a bad find. I got my first a number of years ago. Might want to check the hole it came out of for the handle.

The best way to repair stoneware is--believe it or not, elmer's glue and rubber bands to hold it together until the glue sets! I have repaired 20lb. pieces that have stayed bonded together for 5 years now.

-Buck

 

[g-olden years]

It would be a huge thrill to pull that groovy jug from the creek - WOW! A few years ago I bought one nearly identical to yours at a rural yard sale outside of Charlottesville when visiting my daughter there. As I also lived in Ch'ville for 20 years, it's a pleasant reminder of that beautiful part of Virginia --- my jug now sits on a table on my patio next to a California cactus & other blooming plants. Andi

 

[NW Digger]

Sweet find, man great story to go along with it. I bought one at a yard sale for $5 and I felt lucky and thrilled to find one, cant imagine pulling one out of the creek.
Awesome!

 

[cjon455]

thats in awesome shape, way to go

 

[woolshed]

Nice find. Take a 1/2 inch steel rod, rounded on the end, make a handle for it at the the other end and probe / stick it in and out of the mud. You will feel and hear any thing that is under the mud. Good luck.

Cheers, Woolshed.

 

[jewelerguy]

very cool. probably used to contain Granny's Ruematiz medicine. XXX

 

[relicmeister]

What a great find, HSD! I'd be thrilled to find it also.

 

[gunsil]

I agree with the early 20th century, don't know why folks think they were for whiskey. Seen too many "Lil Abner comics?? There are a bunch of them on a family farm in Ohio and no one in that family has ever drank whiskey. Nice find, though, I was lucky enough to find several while bottle digging as a kid. Still have a couple.