dig of a lifetime.....

[69ctiss]

My two boys and I recently found a virgin dump and pulled 400+ bottles out ranging from before 1850 to 1900. Many of the classics and many new medicines, pharmacy and flasks that we had never heard of.
One of interest, not very special but when we can't find it online we get curious. SPERM SEWING MACHINE OIL. We found all the other oil bottles but no info on this one. Anyone?

 

[cyberdigger]

The oil was made from sperm whales blubber.. whale oil was widely used in lamps as well as a lubricant up till the 1890's, when petroleum oil products took over... sounds like an excellent dump you found there!!!

 

[69ctiss]

Thanks much for the info. I'll be posting several more as time permits. T

 

[beendiggin]

Welcome to the forum...glad to hear you found a good spot to dig! Do you have any pictures of the dump or bottles?

 

[69ctiss]

Thanks for the reply. This is a great site, a good place to go when it is raining and ya can't dig. I need a quick lesson from my 13 year old son on getting pics from camera to email. I will get shots soon. So far I've cleaned about 30 bottles, just the real lookers. Many are on a window sill. A light amber flask from stoddard NH a couple early Johann Hoff and a few blob hutch's from Concord NH a great variation of colors, shapes and sizes. Keep in touch. Peace, T.

 

[Just Dig it]

It could have been made here in New Bedford Mass at nye lubricants ..we were the biggest whaling port in the world..a member of the forum tigue recently informed me his hometown of New London Conn was number 2

 

[Btl_Dvr]

I believe the oil was actually made from the spermacetti in the head of a sperm whale rather than the blubber. It was a lighter, higher grade oil used for lubrication and smokeless candles.
Jay