Neat! ! Your username reminds me of digging back in the 1960s. We were checked out by a Santa Ana, California Police Officer to see what we were up to. He became fascinated and stopped by several more places to see what we found. We gave him a couple of local pharmacy bottles. Jim
The US Rosette and the belt buckle were from the Civil War. The buckle came from an empty lot in New Orleans on Annunciation Street. It was found to be a Union Saber buckle. The US Rosette was found next to the Pass Christian Court House in Mississippi. Not sure about New Orleans, but Pass Christian was occupied by the Union for a few months in 1863-1864. The Rosette was in a trash pit along with several nice bottles, a few of which were open pontil, but only got a Udolpho out whole and intact.
botlguy, That's how I started digging five years ago. I used to be a metal-detector guy, and loved history. I found some guys digging a large trash pit on an old property, and they explained the process to me. The first time I went with them to dig a well, I was hooked. We found more relics at the bottom of that well than I ever found metal detecting altogether in my life. Since then, I've been a Bitters collector. Also partial to Blob top sodas from New Orleans. Still a policeman, but ride a desk these days and let the young ones run the streets.
Hey bottlediggingcop, being from New Orleans and a fan of the bitter's bottles, here's one you will enjoy. Gary Owen's Strengthening Bitters, Sole Proprietor, Ball Lyons Co., New Orleans, LA.