Glen's Loyalists
Jr. Member
- Jan 7, 2024
- 92
- 359
Yesterday I thought I would take the dog and hit an interesting site other than my old farm that is not far away.
Sometimes it's just nice to go to a different fishing hole, know what I mean?
This is a really hard site to detect. It is very rocky, granite boulder size rocky, and there is about 6" or more of loose but root clogged peat over the ground. Some years back loggers went thru with essentially a bulldozer and upended everything and left dried limbs and branches haphazard everywhere, in some places feet deep.
In the middle of that is the foundation of a house that burned to the ground in the 19th century with all contents inside. I truly hope the people got out, it was a bad fire.
I only found a few good items yesterday, so I will also use this time to show the best of what has come from this site:
Here are the two best items from yesterday, I also found a number of spikes, buckles and various iron items not shown.
The suspender buckle, which still works after 150 years in the ground, is marked Paris and Soldie, it would be 1860's to early 1870's. The convex button is an artillery button, with the three cannons in a shield. This would date to the War of 1812 era and is the only one of this type that we have found. We have found later, 2 piece ones at other sites so despite its condition I am well pleased with this.
My son is a collector of military items, so this badge from the 74th is his favorite. He thinks is is most likely from an ammo pouch or something similar.
At the top there should be a crown, we will find that at some point, and the back are traces of the lead backing. The rest would have melted out in the fire.
This again is War of 1812 era.
What is interesting is that we found a small tin box, 85% disintegrated, that we think was a keepsake box. It was close to where the mantle of the fireplace would have been. The badge above was in that box, along with this:
We are certain that this is a tin type photograph, how I wish the image was still there. I think the thin bits of silver also found were part of the folding box frame that these photos are often in. The horseshoe bit in the upper right is double sided, so that may be from something else.
Also in the box were these two thimbles. The smaller thimble on the left is bronze and of very high quality, the metal is really good, especially when considering that these went thru a fire. The large thimble is very good also, but not as good, and you can see that mold was worn when this thimble was made. The waffle pattern top is very distinctive and from some research we have done would place the small thimble to the late 1600's to very early 1700's and the larger one mid to late 1700's. Great Grannies thimbles perhaps?
As an aside, there is a story about these thimbles. After we bought our old farm, I was detecting there exclusively for months. The first time we went elsewhere again we got these thimbles. The next day I was back on my land, thinking about these thimbles and walking along a path I detected many many times. I got an absolute screamer of a signal that jolted me out of my thoughts, I still can't imagine how I missed it previously. Absolutely true, I thought to myself, 'jealous are you, lets see if you can give me something better than those bronze thimbles', and with that, I dug my only complete silver thimble. I couldn't believe my eyes. Then I looked at the inscription that read 'Forget Me Not' and I had to stop and sit down. One of those great coincidences that happens from time to time. Here it is:
Also in the box was this old spoon, just as we found it. Complete and flat, although fire damaged. And look at that rat tail. This has to be one of the oldest spoons I have found. There are no marks that I can see.
Again, in the box (I should really say box area) was this, the only cross we have ever found. It was either fashioned into a hook or was one all along.
This little copper alloy ring was the final item we believe was in the box.
Of the buttons that we have found here, apart from the artillery found yesterday, one stands out:
Note that this naval button does not have the surrounding shield, this makes it pre 1787 in date, I believe this pattern is from the early 1770's and is an officers button. Originally silver, it has blackened and bubbled due to the fire, but the metal is really good. I am really pleased with this one. There was a button maker named W R Smith (1790 - 1832) making US naval buttons in the early 19th century, I am not sure if it is the same maker. If it is and is after 1790 could it be American? I doubt it with the Prince of Wales marking on the reverse. Here is a good reference https://www.angelfire.com/wa/dianaspage/reference/BritishNavy.html
Here is a comparison with a later 1795- 1812 Captain / Commander / Lieutenant button that came from my land:
Here is a nice clog clasp, as well as the adjoining bit folded up. The Prince of Wales motif likely represents the future George IV when he was acting as regent for the ill George III.
These heavy lead pewter tops are likely from a tea service:
Here is a perfume stopper and likely a furniture fitting, although it appears to have been gilt at one point:
And what is this? It is bronze, heavy for its size, and appears unbroken. I am stumped, any ideas?
These bronze rings all came out of one hole. Note the cloth attached to some. What would these be for?
I assume this to be an aglet of some sort:
We have only found one coin to date at this site, and it is an unusual one, a one year only Swedish 1 Kroner from 1719. Very well worn but not really corroded, it was old when lost.
Below is a cartridge from a Snider Enfield. It is a .577 caliber. In 1866 the British started converting their 1853 Lee Enfield's to Sniders. By the 1870's they were being replaced by Martini-Henries. We have found a few of these now which is not really surprising as the Halifax Citadel has the worlds largest collection of these guns. You can go there and fire one.
The musket ball beside it has been chewed by something with very small sharp teeth.
And my favorite from the site is this wonderful alley. It's huge compared to the 50 cent piece and you can still see the cross hatch marking.
Non-detectable, I am really pleased with this.
Good luck everyone, I am keen to see your finds.
Sometimes it's just nice to go to a different fishing hole, know what I mean?
This is a really hard site to detect. It is very rocky, granite boulder size rocky, and there is about 6" or more of loose but root clogged peat over the ground. Some years back loggers went thru with essentially a bulldozer and upended everything and left dried limbs and branches haphazard everywhere, in some places feet deep.
In the middle of that is the foundation of a house that burned to the ground in the 19th century with all contents inside. I truly hope the people got out, it was a bad fire.
I only found a few good items yesterday, so I will also use this time to show the best of what has come from this site:
Here are the two best items from yesterday, I also found a number of spikes, buckles and various iron items not shown.
The suspender buckle, which still works after 150 years in the ground, is marked Paris and Soldie, it would be 1860's to early 1870's. The convex button is an artillery button, with the three cannons in a shield. This would date to the War of 1812 era and is the only one of this type that we have found. We have found later, 2 piece ones at other sites so despite its condition I am well pleased with this.
My son is a collector of military items, so this badge from the 74th is his favorite. He thinks is is most likely from an ammo pouch or something similar.
At the top there should be a crown, we will find that at some point, and the back are traces of the lead backing. The rest would have melted out in the fire.
This again is War of 1812 era.
What is interesting is that we found a small tin box, 85% disintegrated, that we think was a keepsake box. It was close to where the mantle of the fireplace would have been. The badge above was in that box, along with this:
We are certain that this is a tin type photograph, how I wish the image was still there. I think the thin bits of silver also found were part of the folding box frame that these photos are often in. The horseshoe bit in the upper right is double sided, so that may be from something else.
Also in the box were these two thimbles. The smaller thimble on the left is bronze and of very high quality, the metal is really good, especially when considering that these went thru a fire. The large thimble is very good also, but not as good, and you can see that mold was worn when this thimble was made. The waffle pattern top is very distinctive and from some research we have done would place the small thimble to the late 1600's to very early 1700's and the larger one mid to late 1700's. Great Grannies thimbles perhaps?
As an aside, there is a story about these thimbles. After we bought our old farm, I was detecting there exclusively for months. The first time we went elsewhere again we got these thimbles. The next day I was back on my land, thinking about these thimbles and walking along a path I detected many many times. I got an absolute screamer of a signal that jolted me out of my thoughts, I still can't imagine how I missed it previously. Absolutely true, I thought to myself, 'jealous are you, lets see if you can give me something better than those bronze thimbles', and with that, I dug my only complete silver thimble. I couldn't believe my eyes. Then I looked at the inscription that read 'Forget Me Not' and I had to stop and sit down. One of those great coincidences that happens from time to time. Here it is:
Also in the box was this old spoon, just as we found it. Complete and flat, although fire damaged. And look at that rat tail. This has to be one of the oldest spoons I have found. There are no marks that I can see.
Again, in the box (I should really say box area) was this, the only cross we have ever found. It was either fashioned into a hook or was one all along.
This little copper alloy ring was the final item we believe was in the box.
Of the buttons that we have found here, apart from the artillery found yesterday, one stands out:
Note that this naval button does not have the surrounding shield, this makes it pre 1787 in date, I believe this pattern is from the early 1770's and is an officers button. Originally silver, it has blackened and bubbled due to the fire, but the metal is really good. I am really pleased with this one. There was a button maker named W R Smith (1790 - 1832) making US naval buttons in the early 19th century, I am not sure if it is the same maker. If it is and is after 1790 could it be American? I doubt it with the Prince of Wales marking on the reverse. Here is a good reference https://www.angelfire.com/wa/dianaspage/reference/BritishNavy.html
Here is a comparison with a later 1795- 1812 Captain / Commander / Lieutenant button that came from my land:
Here is a nice clog clasp, as well as the adjoining bit folded up. The Prince of Wales motif likely represents the future George IV when he was acting as regent for the ill George III.
These heavy lead pewter tops are likely from a tea service:
Here is a perfume stopper and likely a furniture fitting, although it appears to have been gilt at one point:
And what is this? It is bronze, heavy for its size, and appears unbroken. I am stumped, any ideas?
These bronze rings all came out of one hole. Note the cloth attached to some. What would these be for?
I assume this to be an aglet of some sort:
We have only found one coin to date at this site, and it is an unusual one, a one year only Swedish 1 Kroner from 1719. Very well worn but not really corroded, it was old when lost.
Below is a cartridge from a Snider Enfield. It is a .577 caliber. In 1866 the British started converting their 1853 Lee Enfield's to Sniders. By the 1870's they were being replaced by Martini-Henries. We have found a few of these now which is not really surprising as the Halifax Citadel has the worlds largest collection of these guns. You can go there and fire one.
The musket ball beside it has been chewed by something with very small sharp teeth.
And my favorite from the site is this wonderful alley. It's huge compared to the 50 cent piece and you can still see the cross hatch marking.
Non-detectable, I am really pleased with this.
Good luck everyone, I am keen to see your finds.
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