400 year old Jingle Bell found at the old mill...

Bavaria Mike

Gold Member
Feb 7, 2005
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Bavaria Germany
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Minelab XT70, Fisher 1280, Garrett Ace 250 and MH5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Finds from Saturday. Did a night hunt with a friend on the old mill property, I figure we have a few more weeks before the mill is sold or whatever happens to it and hope it does not freeze in the meantime. My friend and I both agreed we had a nice hunt for three hours. I noticed he grunts while digging, not cool during a night hunt, LOL. Here’s the finds, a broken harmonica reed, I usually toss them as I find so many of them and only keep the whole reeds. 3 musket balls and a brass harness piece.
8Dec07relics.jpg

A worn copper coin and a small one piece button, the shank is broken off but it was cast with the button, probably mid 1700s.
8Dec07button.jpg

Obverse of what I think is a 1910 Russian ½ Kopek.
8Dec07Kop1910O.jpg

Reverse of the ½ Kopek.
8Dec07Kop1910R.jpg

Obverse of two religious pendants. The cross looks really old and has a light brownish patina built up over it. Bet it is 300ish years old.
8Dec07RelmedO.jpg

Reverse of the religious pendants.
8Dec07RelmedR.jpg

A nice porcelain brooch within a brass bezel. The image is a woman in a dress walking with a man that look like come from the late 1700s or early 1800s. Any idea? This area dates 900 years and the mill 600 years.
8Dec07PorcPendO.jpg

Reverse of the brooch, note the number 32, part of a series?
8Dec07PorcPendR.jpg

And this most appropriate find for the season, a jingle bell that is 400-500 years old. Probably a crotal bell but hard to say. I was surprised to find the bell doing some research with exact markings and learned a little about bells. This one is a cast bell, appears to be pewter, thought it strange to learn the top holes were actually for positioning the dinger or ringer that was cast at the same time as the outer bell and not for sound or rings purposes. Always wondered how they got that over sized round ball inside them. The ringer in this bell slowly disintegrated, mixed with the soil and mostly solidified inside. The bell is described as having fish scales at the bottom and sunbursts at the top. The mounting hole was made after the bell was cast.
8Dec07bell1.jpg

Another view of the bell. It is intact but has a little damage around the open slit. HH, Mike
8Dec07bell2.jpg
 

Upvote 0
Hi Mike thanks for sharing your awsome finds HH

t.p
 

Thanks for the post and that great info on the bells. Now I know the answer to another one of those " How'd They Do That " questions. Great finds Mike, hope you're able to get back to the mill a few more times before its gone.

Desertfox
 

Super finds Mike, I hope you will be able to pull more keepers from that site before it's sold to a new owner. Keep us posted on your finds. Thanks for sharing.
 

Bavaria Mike said:
I noticed he grunts while digging, not cool during a night hunt, LOL.
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D NOOOO..probably not a good idea! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Simply wonderful finds, Mike! Really like the religious items and of course the bell! 8)

Congrats! Nana :)
 

Very cool web site for the bells Mike ! Thanks. :)
 

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