Plumbata
Posts: 1535
Joined: 12/4/2007
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But not too much, since helping the family takes priority. I still manage to get out once a week or so, and have excavated a few nice additions to the Peoria collection from 2 new undug dumps I found several years ago but never bothered digging until quite recently.
I don't have pictures of all the digs, or all the good bottles, so they will be added later. Included, though, are 3 bottles that are unlisted and need to be added to the local books. Stuff like that really gets me going! 
Here is some of the stuff I have pictures of:
Assortment of bottles from a C. 1940s-49 dump of high quality, considering the recent age. Found 20 pounds of brass/copper, some nice toys, and PLENTY more bottles than just these. Many milks, sodas, and pottery items. Found 13 of those blue ACL Schwabs milks alone. The 2 slugplate milks are from 1947, and look nice for being pretty new. Needed all those types of milks for the collection, so it was fun despite being recent. Also, the ACL survived extremely well in this one dump, but it never has for me when digging elsewhere. Might be some rare ones in there, we'll see.
My bro came out to help digging in my legendary creek dump. Didn't score anything huge but got a very nice stoneware vulcanizing fluid bottle, my 1st.
Dug a bit along an old stone bridge foundation's embankment. Found a chipped SS peoria coke and some other goodies, not pictured yet.
Shortly before this embankment dig, I was doing some research on a 2 ounce pharmacy bottle that I had found at the same spot last year. It was embossed only with the name "Barnhart" and its significance had eluded me until I checked the Druggist section of my 1919 copy of the Peoria Directory. At the time, a certain Clarence E. Barnhart had a pharmacy at 1415 S. Adams St. in Peoria, not far from where the bottle was dug. That was good enough for me to add the bottle to my collection, and proceed to dance for joy because I had discovered another bottle not listed/known in the local books. Doesn't look special but I would presume that it is a very tough one to get:
My current digging project is the exploitation of this very nice and decent sized C. 1919-1923 dump (with late 20s stuff above in the ash layer). I found it 2 years ago but never bothered digging until now. I would have started hammering it sooner if I new it would be a very easy, fun, and productive place to dig but I ain't complaining. The bottom layer is all rusty can pieces, glass, and pottery/china so it is very interesting to root through, and just before I left the last time I dug (due to a cave in which deposited a 70+ pound chunk of concrete on my head) I found that the primo bottom layer was expanding and getting thicker/deeper very very quickly, perhaps because i was tapping into what was once a little ravine (thoughts of intact stenciled jugs piled up in there raced through my mind). Next time I dig I will see if my high hopes are warranted.
Late throw McMaster & Derges Hutch
Oooh Oooh! I had dug one of these nice "Peoria Pottery" wax sealers broken in place already in this dump, will this be a good one?
Oh yeah! Pre-1904 on this one!
Also dug this very nice mid to later teens style blown 1/2 ounce "Durkin Peoria" pharmacy. New to me and to the book. Sweet.
With big bro:
Most, but not all of the finds from the couple hours digging on Tuesday. The majority of the finds from the 2 prior excursions are boxed up or hiding. As you can see, the late throws are where it's at:
These are both some very tough and desirable blown bottles, none of which were listed or known of, from what I gathered. I found the 1 ounce bottle a while ago, but discovered the 1/2 ounce size on the dig before the one shown above. Beautiful embossing only adds to the appeal of the pieces, as the Block & Kuhl company was so well known and well-regarded in this area that you still hear older people talking about it. From 1914 or after.
Nice 1933 Peoria milk I needed, came out about 100 feet away from the above dump, right at the surface.
Sweet embossed utility med from Peoria, with all 4 labels! Ebay treated me well. SCORE!
Hmm, go figure...
Well that's it for now but I have plenty more i need to pull out of boxes and photograph, so you'll see more later!
_____________________________
Alterius non sit qui suus esse potest.
Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper.
- Thomas Jefferson
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Been doing some digging this summer - 
-----thanks for taking me along 
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