Heres a few pics from Upstate NY

[S.C. Warner]

never know what youll dig up/....

Wow, really great finds and pictures. Nice to live out there where all the really old bottles are. please tell me, what is the object in this picture that you are holding up? A clay pipe?

sc

 

[WhiteLighting]

ya its an old pipe bowl,only broke in one spot also no stem......
bottle spots here you gotta really research for them,if you dont your gonna get zilch...

 

[S.C. Warner]

Thanks for the reply, Whitelighting. That is a very nice bowl. Pipe making is (or was) one of my sidelines. I've made 100's if not 1000's of them, mostly English Briar, pipestone, deer and moose antler. Real big interest for me here as history goes. From reading yopur posts you are probably already aware of this, but I would suspect the pipe head you have there could well be a hand me down from Colonial days. More than likely had a very long and curved stem. I've seen even parts as such in Museums. No doubt about "never know what you will find."
As for doing research for bottle spots...it made me think of something someone posted in the forum a few days back about an "old-timer" telling them where a dump was. it is kind of sad that those days are almost over. 25 years ago we might be able to find an oldtimer that could tell us about a dump that could date back quite aways. (I have always thought that in the future they will probably collect what we have left behind.) Thanks again and hope you're dealing with all the snow you just got out there. (it narrowly missed us here.)
best,
sc.

 

[RJ_Digs_Deep]

I can't wait until spring, the snow and cold have ended any digging near Buffalo for a while.

Those Pics are very tipical of what I found at surface when hunting for old cellar holes... ( Western NY ) ... I just started last year ... and have located Dozens of fresh cellar holes.

I like digging the private dumps first (easy digging) , I find them usually w/i 100 feet of celar hole ... almost always to the North or East ... (downwind) ... and have found alot great stuff from surface to 3 feet down.

I left many old wells and potential privies for this coming year, (back-breakers), I dug almost 10 feet down one and found only two (2) bottles and little broken glass.

I find alot from Rochester, Buffalo, Leroy, Olean, bottling companies ... mostly beers and meds.

Are the wells and privies worth the back-breaking work if I find the little dumps ALOT easier to score at on a weekend excursion? I keep thinking in the back of my mind that the great stuff ( pre - 1865 for me ) is there, but I am stuck in the 1880 - 1910 era.

Many of these celar holes are located as buildings on the 1869 topo maps I have purchased ... yet I only have a very few (maybee two( broken)) pre-1880 items.

I love this Forum and have learned alot ( most everything from all of you ) in the last year.

When I get a digital camera ... I will post pics.

Again ... Thanks to All who share the great info ... I AM HOOKED.

 

[S.C. Warner]

Are the wells and privies worth the back-breaking work if I find the little dumps ALOT easier to score at on a weekend excursion?

Yes, but can't you hear all those bottles calling to you? Invading your dreams to tell you to come dig them up?[]
Hey, maybe we will have an early Spring this year! It was 51 degree's here in N.W. Illinois today! I'm with you RJ_Digs_Deep, I can't wait to get back digging. (especially after finding this forum.) I bet you will find the one hole that will make it all worthwhile!

best,
den

 

[oldshoe4u]

Wow great photos! Is the snow gone yet, wheres my shovel..? Man I cant wait till spring! I agree Rj I'm new to the addiction and this web site has only fueled the fire..!

 

[card]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to get out again!!

 

[Matt in NH]

hehehehehe.....looks like ya found a bunch of shards to me[]

 

[glopf43]

Hey all. I am also new to this digging thing. Already I'm addicted!!! I'm lucky that I live in the South East. I have already started to dig. I've found the first dump on my property. It's pretty new on top, about 1970. I've dug it down to the early-mid 60's and found some nice 40's & 50's ACL's as well as some medicines dating from the 20's probably tossed out in the 60's. The second dump (see photo) was found on the same Farm I found three privies (and possibly more). There are more details (and pics) on The Farm in my post "I found the throne..." in this forum. The Farm dump has, "been used forever", as told to me by one of the local old-timmers. On top all 70's but, pulling up only a corner, I've already got some bottles from the 30's, so I'm hopeful. Bott's from the 50's are laying on the ground every where! It could be Heaven!! Any of you diggers live in the Charlotte, NC area? I'd love to share the treasures AND the work.