Bottle Dump Need Help/Advice

[RW]

Took a shovel and went for a ride to a place I thought might have some bottles. The area was settled over 150 years ago but I think my finds are from about 100 years after that. It was my first time looking for bottles and I didn't even have to dig. Bottles everywhere. Based on my finds do you think I should look deeper to try to find some older stuff? It is a large hillside that falls into a creek so I am sure a lot of stuff has washed down stream or been covered up. Most of the things I found were just in the weeds and rocks on the side of the hill. Found an old Coke bottle (old to me!). The 2 Gatorade cans I thought were pretty cool, 1 carbonated, 1 non carbonated. The pottery pieces... could be more. The gallon bottle has a twist off lid with holes where a handle once went. The license plate was from the 50's. I brought a few things home but most I just put in a pile and covered up. Is there anything interesting and what looks like the oldest item in the pics?
Thanks for the help, Ron

 

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[bootyhoundpa]

seems to new to be worth while bottle wise ... but that broken pottery looks interesting..

 

[creeper71]

Those bottles are what the more advanced in bottle digging would call junk... I am not putting your finds down , Well all have brought the same bottles home when we first started to dig... You always want to dig a dump!!! You want to dig down as far as you can dig an not find any more glass.... In a dump like that your going to focus mainly on Milk Bottles,embossed (the writing is in the glass not painted on painted on would be called ACL) soda bottles an Mason Jars... if you find any bottles that look like a cork was in them..you want to keep those also.... btw don't worry about the negative people say about this dump..I have dug in 1970's dumps an found 100.00 embossed milk bottles from 1935 that was late dumps.. (late dump means the person held on to the bottles for many years then ended up in a dump many years after it was made)

 

[RW]

Thanks for replies and I am not offended in the least. I figured it was all junk and not junque. Really just wondering if most would pursue it deeper. Also... I would like to post some aerial photos soon, from the 50's of a nearby area that might have been a town dump that closed around that time. Looks like it was organized dumping... Well here are a few more pics. Doesn't the first one look to be an Anheiser Bush logo? A coke bottle. The square one looked like carnival glass in the sun. And the oval bottom round top one were the ones I took...

 

[jgas]

A guy I dig with also had some luck in a dump like yours. It dated to the 1930's mostly but then they hit the jackpot by digging deeper and more....They found that someone or a business had dumped their entire stock of bottles in the new pit. They found over 80 pontiled medicines and even umbrella inks. All Pontiled stuff from the 1850's-60's. Worth around 10 grand sold seperately of course. So check into it further. I always say if present day people dumped stuff there, then maybe the older folks did as well. I would check it out in depth just to satisfy my curiosity. jgas

 

[GopherDaGold]

That's Anheuser-Busch for sure. Trust me...I'm from St. Louis

 

[RW]

Turns out Budweiser made pancake and waffle syrup back in the day... Found a pic of 1 other similar but it had a handle. Also ordered a couple bottle books. I'll be back!

 

[creeper71]

Turns out Budweiser made pancake and waffle syrup back in the day... Found a pic of 1 other similar but it had a handle. Also ordered a couple bottle books. I'll be back!

Only real good bottles books are the ones Digger O'dell writes... What your also going to need is some really good gloves!! I wear 2 pairs a teflon coated pair an a pair of raw hide on top of them...

 

[creeper71]

Thanks for replies and I am not offended in the least. I figured it was all junk and not junque. Really just wondering if most would pursue it deeper. Also... I would like to post some aerial photos soon, from the 50's of a nearby area that might have been a town dump that closed around that time. Looks like it was organized dumping... Well here are a few more pics. Doesn't the first one look to be an Anheiser Bush logo? A coke bottle. The square one looked like carnival glass in the sun. And the oval bottom round top one were the ones I took...

NEVER POST YOUR SITE OR ANYWHERE CLOSE TO IT!! until your done all together with it... There are site snatchers that come into tnet as guest an read post trolling for a site near them....

 

[RW]

Good tip. Just like metal detecting, keep it quiet. Unless you are into hiking and packing out through some unfriendly terrain, a dirt bike is the only way to get to this spot! I think I will go back this afternoon and poke around some more.

 

[Marbleguy]

Websearch nearest town,village,etc..

..to the dump site you're digging. If that's who used the dump check out the town's history. The town may have a local museum/historical society. That's what I did re the little ghost town in the Mojave Desert I moved to in 2003. The town's dump was closed down in 1954 but the dump had been used since the 1860s/70s. With minimal research and physical effort I found the area of earliest dumping and am excavating bottles,etc from that era. Recently from the site I excavated three mouth-blown Sun Drug Co. bottles which are pretty darn rare.

 

[flasherr]

Hey RW im new to this site. I saw you were in the dfw area im in denton. Dont let anyone tell you that those are junk bottles there could be some very good painted label bottles there. Every on has their preferences in bottles. i prefer painted label soda bottles over embossed. I have appreciation for all glass but i prefer painted label sodas. If you do dig this site and start finding alot of painted labels bottles buried DO NOT wipe them off to see what the label looks like. let the bottle sit out for a week or so then lightly wash the dirt off after that time. A painted label will get soft if it is wet for a long period of time you have to let the paint harden again or when you wipe the dirt you will wipe the paint right off alot of times. im digging a 1940 and earlier dump now not many painted labels due to time period but i have come across several that other people dug and you can see where they wiped the label right off. I realy dont know many people in the area feel free to contact me if you like. Im always looking to meet people with same interest in my area. Brian

 

[Pontil]

Although this age dump is not what i would dig there are treasures to be found in this age dump. There possibly could be pyroglazed milk bottles,acl sodas, vinegars. Also there could be some high dollar no deposit- no return throwaway soda bottles.Some of these can be quite valuable for the age they were produced.As posted above you will need to dig to get to the older bottles if there are any in the dump. Try to locate the center of the dump and dig you a test hole. If you are finding rusty metal or rust colored dirt keep digging until you get to a hard bottom which will be noticibly harder to dig. This may give you a idea of how far the dump dates back to.Although there may be older pockets of bottles in other areas but this may help you get started.If you have any questions i will be glad to help any way i can.

 

[RW]

Thanks for replies and tips. I have a few places I need to check out better. Digging is on my short list of things to do. I think a creek/hill side is my best bet. Gotta get below some bricks. I did see a guy selling some things like I found. His were barn finds in worse condition.

 

[crazyjarhead]

That pepsi and Barges bottles are probably 60/70's. All of the things I see aren't too old. However, the old stuff be underneith if the dump is old

 

[planejet42]

Nice bottles!!!!

 

[canadiandigger]

1960s-1970s no good put them up on ebay unless ur into the 60s-70s but for a long time digger like me i would only take that barqs and maybe the topp soda bottle the others are worthless but still keep on diggin