Three Firsts! Complete Jug, Dundee Marmalade, and Sherlock's Tobacco Pipe!

[UnderMiner]

Some of my finds from earlier today:

Today I was doing some mudlarking in an abandoned waterfront. First find was a 19th century slug-plate embossed bottle from 'E. Matthews Son's'. The bottle is damaged as it is missing its base but it's the history that counts to me. This was the only notable find for the first 2 hours of searching. I found nothing but broken bottles otherwise.

Tiring of finding broken bottles I began venturing further out and into other parts of this place. Far away I began picking up brass and copper trinkets that, for some reason, were all over the place, perhaps washed out by the tides from the local 1910's-era landfill that made up part of the area (according to municipal city street planning information I researched). I stockpiled about 40 pounds of brass and copper trinkets (forks, spoons, hinges, spigots, valves, etc.) until I noticed storm clouds billowing behind me and then a lightning strike. I knew I had to start trekking back the mile I had wandered before the storm could catch up to me, but it's difficult to run in mud with 40 pounds of metal in bags. So as I began my attempted sprint back to my vehicle I noticed the top of an old jug sticking out from some debris by an old wooden retaining wall which flanked the shoreline.

I figured it was just a piece of a jug since to this point there was not a single intact glass or ceramic artifact to be found. And so I excavated the jug from its rocky and muddy tomb and discovered in suprise that it was complete! It was also very dirty and full of mud as it typically would be underwater albeit now being low tide so it was exposed.

Now I have a jug full of mud and 40 pounds of metal trinkets in two bags in each hand running through mud trying to outrun an approaching storm. Needless to say I was getting quite fatigued. But this is where the funny part begins, as I'm attempting to run the mile or so out of this place I start seeing artifacts I had somehow completely missed before - a complete tobacco pipe, no time to take a picture in situ because I'm trying to beat the storm so just pick it up and keep going. This is the first fully intact wooden pipe with both bowl and stem that I have recovered from the ocean. I keep going. Next I see the distinctive shape of a jar I recognize that I had, up until this point, only found fragments of - it was an intact Dundee Marmalade jar, once again no time to take pictures so just pick it up and keep going.

Half way through the dash I realize there is no way I can carry the 40 pounds of metal the full way out of this place because it is too heavy and it was causing me to sink deeper into the mud with every step than I would have otherwise without it. So I found a spot by a dry patch of shore, and like a pirate, stashed the two bags of metal trinkets to come back for another day - taking with me just one piece - the brass skeliton key.

My arms relieved of the 40 pound burden I was able to successfully make it back to civilization (and my vehicle) mere seconds before the torrential downpour began. I had made three first-time discoveries while actively trying to outrun a storm all within a space of about 10 minutes all the while having bassically given up the day for lost up until that point.

I still have to contend with the fact that I abandoned my two bags of metal trinkets but I'm fairly confident I hid them quite well and they'll be waiting for me another day.

 

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[Jose The Goon]

Some of my finds from earlier today:
View attachment 2020973
Today I was doing some mudlarking in an abandoned waterfront. First find was a 19th century slug-plate embossed bottle from 'E. Matthews Son's'. The bottle is damaged as it is missing its base but it's the history that counts to me. This was the only notable find for the first 2 hours of searching. I found nothing but broken bottles otherwise.

Tiring of finding broken bottles I began venturing further out and into other parts of this place. Far away I began picking up brass and copper trinkets that, for some reason, were all over the place, perhaps washed out by the tides from the local 1910's-era landfill that made up part of the area (according to municipal city street planning information I researched). I stockpiled about 40 pounds of brass and copper trinkets (forks, spoons, hinges, spigots, valves, etc.) until I noticed storm clouds billowing behind me and then a lightning strike. I knew I had to start trekking back the mile I had wandered before the storm could catch up to me, but it's difficult to run in mud with 40 pounds of metal in bags. So as I began my attempted sprint back to my vehicle I noticed the top of an old jug sticking out from some debris by an old wooden retaining wall which flanked the shoreline.
View attachment 2020971
I figured it was just a piece of a jug since to this point there was not a single intact glass or ceramic artifact to be found. And so I excavated the jug from its rocky and muddy tomb and discovered in suprise that it was complete! It was also very dirty and full of mud as it typically would be underwater albeit now being low tide so it was exposed.
View attachment 2020972
Now I have a jug full of mud and 40 pounds of metal trinkets in two bags in each hand running through mud trying to outrun an approaching storm. Needless to say I was getting quite fatigued. But this is where the funny part begins, as I'm attempting to run the mile or so out of this place I start seeing artifacts I had somehow completely missed before - a complete tobacco pipe, no time to take a picture in situ because I'm trying to beat the storm so just pick it up and keep going. This is the first fully intact wooden pipe with both bowl and stem that I have recovered from the ocean. I keep going. Next I see the distinctive shape of a jar I recognize that I had, up until this point, only found fragments of - it was an intact Dundee Marmalade jar, once again no time to take pictures so just pick it up and keep going.

Half way through the dash I realize there is no way I can carry the 40 pounds of metal the full way out of this place because it is too heavy and it was causing me to sink deeper into the mud with every step than I would have otherwise without it. So I found a spot by a dry patch of shore, and like a pirate, stashed the two bags of metal trinkets to come back for another day - taking with me just one piece - the brass skeliton key.

My arms relieved of the 40 pound burden I was able to successfully make it back to civilization (and my vehicle) mere seconds before the torrential downpour began. I had made three first-time discoveries while actively trying to outrun a storm all within a space of about 10 minutes all the while having bassically given up the day for lost up until that point.

I still have to contend with the fact that I abandoned my two bags of metal trinkets but I'm fairly confident I hid them quite well and they'll be waiting for me another day.

I love your finds & love your story. Thanks for posting and sharing. Congrats on the great finds!
After reading of your ordeal in the mud, it reminded me of a song by "The Grateful Dead" called "New Speedway Boogie" & a few of my favorite lines from the lyrics;.............

"… Now, I don't know but I was told
In the heat of the sun a man died of cold
Keep on coming or stand and wait
With the sun so dark and the hour so late"

"… Now, I don' t know but I been told
It's hard to run with the weight of gold
On the other hand, I have heard it said
It's just as hard with the weight of lead"

"… One way or another,
One way or another,
One way or another,......
This darkness got to give. "

Songwriters: Robert Hunter / Jerry Garcia

 

[Gare]

fantastic finds CONGRATULATIONS !!! Thanks for sharing

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Very cool finds - congrats !

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

What a great hunt and post UnderMiner, thanks for taking us along with you.
I've always felt that some of our best finds are made without the use of a metal detector.

Here's a similar Dundee Marmalade jar I found at a portage river crossing in Algonquin Park, ON in 1981.
Dave

 

[pepperj]

Great looking jug and jar, as it's amazing that it was still intact.

Is this section of shoreline been done before or a new adventure.
Great write up, my legs were getting tired from joining you in the journey of out running the storm.

 

[Digger RJ]

Some of my finds from earlier today:
View attachment 2020973
Today I was doing some mudlarking in an abandoned waterfront. First find was a 19th century slug-plate embossed bottle from 'E. Matthews Son's'. The bottle is damaged as it is missing its base but it's the history that counts to me. This was the only notable find for the first 2 hours of searching. I found nothing but broken bottles otherwise.

Tiring of finding broken bottles I began venturing further out and into other parts of this place. Far away I began picking up brass and copper trinkets that, for some reason, were all over the place, perhaps washed out by the tides from the local 1910's-era landfill that made up part of the area (according to municipal city street planning information I researched). I stockpiled about 40 pounds of brass and copper trinkets (forks, spoons, hinges, spigots, valves, etc.) until I noticed storm clouds billowing behind me and then a lightning strike. I knew I had to start trekking back the mile I had wandered before the storm could catch up to me, but it's difficult to run in mud with 40 pounds of metal in bags. So as I began my attempted sprint back to my vehicle I noticed the top of an old jug sticking out from some debris by an old wooden retaining wall which flanked the shoreline.
View attachment 2020971
I figured it was just a piece of a jug since to this point there was not a single intact glass or ceramic artifact to be found. And so I excavated the jug from its rocky and muddy tomb and discovered in suprise that it was complete! It was also very dirty and full of mud as it typically would be underwater albeit now being low tide so it was exposed.
View attachment 2020972
Now I have a jug full of mud and 40 pounds of metal trinkets in two bags in each hand running through mud trying to outrun an approaching storm. Needless to say I was getting quite fatigued. But this is where the funny part begins, as I'm attempting to run the mile or so out of this place I start seeing artifacts I had somehow completely missed before - a complete tobacco pipe, no time to take a picture in situ because I'm trying to beat the storm so just pick it up and keep going. This is the first fully intact wooden pipe with both bowl and stem that I have recovered from the ocean. I keep going. Next I see the distinctive shape of a jar I recognize that I had, up until this point, only found fragments of - it was an intact Dundee Marmalade jar, once again no time to take pictures so just pick it up and keep going.

Half way through the dash I realize there is no way I can carry the 40 pounds of metal the full way out of this place because it is too heavy and it was causing me to sink deeper into the mud with every step than I would have otherwise without it. So I found a spot by a dry patch of shore, and like a pirate, stashed the two bags of metal trinkets to come back for another day - taking with me just one piece - the brass skeliton key.

My arms relieved of the 40 pound burden I was able to successfully make it back to civilization (and my vehicle) mere seconds before the torrential downpour began. I had made three first-time discoveries while actively trying to outrun a storm all within a space of about 10 minutes all the while having bassically given up the day for lost up until that point.

I still have to contend with the fact that I abandoned my two bags of metal trinkets but I'm fairly confident I hid them quite well and they'll be waiting for me another day.

Cool!!! Congrats!!!

 

[UnderMiner]

What a great hunt and post UnderMiner, thanks for taking us along with you.
I've always felt that some of our best finds are made without the use of a metal detector.

Here's a similar Dundee Marmalade jar I found at a portage river crossing in Algonquin Park, ON in 1981.
Dave

I always wanted to find one of those jars because I had seen a show where divers were recovering them from the bottom of one of my local bays back in the early 90's. I figured those guys had probably found them all already 30 years ago. So I went looking for it specifically. I dug 3 feet down one day and found the broken fragments of one and meticulously glued it back together but it wasn't complete.

So to find a complete one on such short notice so easily mere minutes after finding my first complete whiskey jug was something else. Glad you found one too, I think they're very beautiful and historically interesting from the bygone age of the British Empire (the last stoneware Dundee Marmalade jars were made in 1928, after that they transitioned to cheap glass).

 

[UnderMiner]

Great looking jug and jar, as it's amazing that it was still intact.

Is this section of shoreline been done before or a new adventure.
Great write up, my legs were getting tired from joining you in the journey of out running the storm.

I had searched a section of it before but never went as far as I did this time, it's about a mile long stretch of shore that's only accessible at low tide. Because it is normally under water very few people if any go there. I wear special waterproof boots, two sizes bigger than my feet, while wearing three pairs of socks, the big surface area of the bottom of the boots prevents you from sinking in the mud - wearing normal boots and you will sink, carry too much weight and you will sink, stand in the same place too long and you will sink. The best finds are in the places where you will sink, glass is less dense than silt so will often float on top of it and that's what I was looking for.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I always wanted to find one of those jars because I had seen a show where divers were recovering them from the bottom of one of my local bays back in the early 90's. I figured those guys had probably found them all already 30 years ago. So I went looking for it specifically. I dug 3 feet down one day and found the broken fragments of one and meticulously glued it back together but it wasn't complete.

So to find a complete one on such short notice so easily mere minutes after finding my first complete whiskey jug was something else. Glad you found one too, I think they're very beautiful and historically interesting from the bygone age of the British Empire (the last stoneware Dundee Marmalade jars were made in 1928, after that they transitioned to cheap glass).

I completely agree, you having found a complete example is quite an achievement. These 'clay pottery' jars were actually produced over many years.

Keiller's Marmalade - History
Keiller's marmalade is named after its creator James and Janet Keiller and is believed to have been the first commercial brand of marmalade in Great Britain. It was made by James Keiller in Dundee, Scotland, later creating James Keiller & Son, a brand name which became iconic in the 18th and 19thc. According to a legend, in the 18thc, James Keiller on speculation bought a Spanish ship's cargo that included Seville oranges when the ship sought refuge from a raging storm. The ship had started its journey in Seville, but the delay caused by the storm had made the oranges less fresh than they ought to have been. The bargain gave his mother, Janet, the opportunity to manufacture a large quantity of marmalade. She boiled the bitter oranges with sugar which resulted in the creation of orange marmalade. The true story is that Janet Keiller did not invent marmalade. Marmalade existed in Spain and Portugal since at least the 15thc and a Scottish recipe for orange marmalade appears in "Mrs McLintoch's Receipts of 1736.”

In the 1760s, Keiller ran a small confectionery shop producing jams in Seagate, Dundee. Janet Keiller's main modification to the recipe in 1797 was in the addition of thin strips of orange rind, creating peel or "chip" marmalade. The peel was thought to aid digestion, but the pith and much of the fiber was discarded. The consistency was also changed, from its former solid form to a spreadable semi-liquid form, and only at this point did it begin to be placed on toast. Contrary to local myth, the Keillers' main business remained in running a grocery, and marmalade accounted for only 5% of trade in 1833. James Keiller died in 1839 and the business was continued by his widow, Margaret, and son, Alexander Keiller. In 1840, they moved to a new shop on Castle Street in Dundee and were also running a small marmalade factory off the High Street. The first commercial brand of marmalade, along with the world's first marmalade factory, was founded in 1797. In 1828, the company became James Keiller and Son, when James junior joined the business.

Only in 1867 did marmalade become the predominant company product. This also linked to a conscious promotion programme in the British colonies. The 19th-century expansions were done under the directorship of John Mitchell Keiller. John took over in 1877 on the death of Alexander. In 1876, when the British Trademark Registry Act came into force, Keiller's Dundee Orange Marmalade was one of the first brands to be formally registered. It is believed that James Keiller and Son was also the first to produce Dundee cake commercially and to give it the distinctive name.