- May 16, 2023
- 2,679
- 13,012
- Detector(s) used
- XP Deus II
White's Spectra v3i
Garrett Ultra GTA 1000
Whites Coinmaster
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Just about the time I got my new Deus II, I was looking at an old map of my neighborhood and discovered that in 1940, there was a house sitting in what is now my front yard. This surprised me greatly, so I started hunting old photos and found a 1955 aerial photo, with no trace of the house. So it was there sometime before 1940 to get "on the map", but was completely vanished by 1955.
So I worked out the distances from the old map and got a good guess to where the house was, and started hunting. I quickly discovered that my entire front yard is littered with iron.
I don't know when the house was built, but I'm assuming mid to late 1800's. So far I haven't found anything with a date on it, but what little I have found seems to back up those dates.
So I'm starting this thread to post interesting things, mostly for feedback as I try to understand the history of those who were here before I was. Here's some of the stuff I've found so far. Any comments on what they are, or what they are used for, are welcome.
This was identified (thanks to this board!) as a suspender adjuster, pre-1920.
![suspender_clip_back.JPG suspender_clip_back.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897309-5cae3440e3f1e8e7b76d65d5f33154fa.jpg)
And this one is part of a victorian bed rail attachment.
![bed_rail_hardware.JPG bed_rail_hardware.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897321-745976e37e91c03d15bce2948266beb1.jpg)
This one is a spoon, obviously. Silver plated, well worn. I haven't found an exact match on the pattern and I can't quite read the maker's mark, but the stuff I find that's close is in the early 1880's. Interestingly, I found this standing vertically in the ground, big end down. It took some digging to extract it.
![spoon_stamp.JPG spoon_stamp.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897311-964382be9dc6fa8871bf5203fefbbfbb.jpg)
I've also found a few shotgun shell end caps. At first I ignored these thinking they were just trash from a careless modern hunter, but after investigating, these are from around 1900 (Union Metal Cartridge Company, "New Club" style, produced between 1891 and 1911).
![caps.jpg caps.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897322-02bc3ccb7920fda9b9f4426c6d5e5936.jpg)
And some iron stuff...
![insulator_back.JPG insulator_back.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897318-ce8d27eeeebd5707a3b67604a310e561.jpg)
I've found several of those square nuts. They look like they might be blacksmith-made because while the hole diameter is pretty consistent, the size and thickness of the nut itself varies quite a bit. And that thing that looks like a telegraph insulator is a mystery -- iron wouldn't make a very good insulator.
Then there's this partial plate -- quarter inch thick and heavy. Maybe a stove part?
![round_plate_back.JPG round_plate_back.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897315-e3f989fe65550bf8fbf9df5fbde1a6a2.jpg)
And then there's this thing.
![massive.JPG massive.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897316-87abc868150a7297f36234f163773e02.jpg)
It's about 8" diameter, about an inch thick, with a 1/4" "rim" around one side, totally flat on the other. And it's heavy -- weighing exactly 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs) in its current state. No obvious handle or anything to indicate use.
So there's what I know so far. I will post more as I discover it...
So I worked out the distances from the old map and got a good guess to where the house was, and started hunting. I quickly discovered that my entire front yard is littered with iron.
I don't know when the house was built, but I'm assuming mid to late 1800's. So far I haven't found anything with a date on it, but what little I have found seems to back up those dates.
So I'm starting this thread to post interesting things, mostly for feedback as I try to understand the history of those who were here before I was. Here's some of the stuff I've found so far. Any comments on what they are, or what they are used for, are welcome.
This was identified (thanks to this board!) as a suspender adjuster, pre-1920.
![suspender_clip_front.JPG suspender_clip_front.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897308-bf2c563129b6e5cbee0b5db34d4b9113.jpg)
![suspender_clip_back.JPG suspender_clip_back.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897309-5cae3440e3f1e8e7b76d65d5f33154fa.jpg)
And this one is part of a victorian bed rail attachment.
![bed_rail_hardware.JPG bed_rail_hardware.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897321-745976e37e91c03d15bce2948266beb1.jpg)
This one is a spoon, obviously. Silver plated, well worn. I haven't found an exact match on the pattern and I can't quite read the maker's mark, but the stuff I find that's close is in the early 1880's. Interestingly, I found this standing vertically in the ground, big end down. It took some digging to extract it.
![spoon.JPG spoon.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897310-80319d1f97c8d5b2c4f146b759d27b82.jpg)
![spoon_front_close.JPG spoon_front_close.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897312-eaa6d901fd1d14e129201be12a5338a1.jpg)
![spoon_back_close.JPG spoon_back_close.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897313-561feb0eb36666e30e3e745d04d0d87b.jpg)
![spoon_stamp.JPG spoon_stamp.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897311-964382be9dc6fa8871bf5203fefbbfbb.jpg)
I've also found a few shotgun shell end caps. At first I ignored these thinking they were just trash from a careless modern hunter, but after investigating, these are from around 1900 (Union Metal Cartridge Company, "New Club" style, produced between 1891 and 1911).
![caps.jpg caps.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897322-02bc3ccb7920fda9b9f4426c6d5e5936.jpg)
And some iron stuff...
![horseshoes.JPG horseshoes.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897319-a50aa8e231472fca9e83d9c017e4aff2.jpg)
![bolts_nuts.JPG bolts_nuts.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897320-2f52ac5eae20e8199ff510fe6dbfee54.jpg)
![insulator_front.JPG insulator_front.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897317-77ed38ca243b8b7ab7dcf77753a1cbf2.jpg)
![insulator_back.JPG insulator_back.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897318-ce8d27eeeebd5707a3b67604a310e561.jpg)
I've found several of those square nuts. They look like they might be blacksmith-made because while the hole diameter is pretty consistent, the size and thickness of the nut itself varies quite a bit. And that thing that looks like a telegraph insulator is a mystery -- iron wouldn't make a very good insulator.
Then there's this partial plate -- quarter inch thick and heavy. Maybe a stove part?
![round_plate_front.JPG round_plate_front.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897314-bf3f42b7f827dae783d9fcdbf43f6329.jpg)
![round_plate_back.JPG round_plate_back.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897315-e3f989fe65550bf8fbf9df5fbde1a6a2.jpg)
And then there's this thing.
![massive.JPG massive.JPG](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1897/1897316-87abc868150a7297f36234f163773e02.jpg)
It's about 8" diameter, about an inch thick, with a 1/4" "rim" around one side, totally flat on the other. And it's heavy -- weighing exactly 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs) in its current state. No obvious handle or anything to indicate use.
So there's what I know so far. I will post more as I discover it...
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