Monday's treasure at the plantation......

[Flaschenjager]

Hello everyone,
Well, well, well...I've wanted a section like this since I joined here. I dig a lot and don't always find just bottles.

Here's a gold plated button, one inch in diameter, with a 1837 date. This and many other interesting items were dug, solo, by me, at a 16" deep site. The trash or dump area is about 12' x 12' and less than half dug. I will return this weekend with help.
Please note: This (and others) were dug looking for bottles and without the use of my detector, which I left at home. I'll use one this weekend though.

I just found out about an hour ago that this was confederate, via a relic forum. Notice the early fire fighting vessel. No whole bottles at this hole......YET.

 

[Flaschenjager]

Here's a close up of the center.

 

[Flaschenjager]

Here's another picture of one of the more interesting plates found in the same area/hole. People are telling me that it is a heel plate for a boot. I thought it may have come from a trunk or box. I also dug an early eagle button and some pieces (metal) that were attached to the shoulders to some uniforms. Neat stuff and most of the shards of glass found and bagged for now, were early. Check out the heart.

 

[Pontiled]

That's definitely a heel plate, and a much better-than-average one! That fireman's button is also a super piece. I don't have my Albert's button book handy, but will check as soon as I can for it. What markings, if any, are on the back?

 

[Flaschenjager]

Hi Mike and all,
It's backmarked "Scovills & Co. - Superfine" and a collector on a relics forum said it was listed in Warren Tices button book. The homeowner, my friend at the plantation, owns this book, but can't find it. It's a large and long house with many rooms...lol.

The book states under Va. buttons : " A few silver plated buttons have been excavated at Mine Road camps in Virginia , and also at military sites near Richmond . Firefighters from the Confederate capital evidentally went to war wearing their Fire Association uniforms "

I'm trying to find a value and/or rarity on it, because I want to enter it in a digging contest in Nov. and also present it, framed somehow, to the homeowner. Any ideas?

I dug some other weird items in this hole and will return to dig some more this weekend. Some relics seem to be pre CW. I'm a bottle digger and this is all new to me. The glass found in this pit is quite interesting, but no whole ones just yet.

 

[Flaschenjager]

Mike -
My friend at this plantation gave me a book to read and it contains you as a reference or resource. It is "The Civil War Collector's Price Guide - 7th edition" This is my first reading on the subject and is quite interesting.

Here's some more of the many items I dug there. Some said they are early shoulder pieces and others said chin strap pieces. The smaller one is 1 inch, at the side w/ the holes, and the other 1 1/4". The holes are pin size.

 

[Flaschenjager]

Hey Kaw and all,
I visited The Museum of The Confederacy a couple of days ago here in Richmond, to find some answers, first hand. It only took a couple of hours for a tour and I found some of the things I dug. The fire button, of course, was a different story. I asked at the desk though, and was directed to a uniform and clothing historian. He couldn't help me much with my button, but found it interesting. He did tell me that the heart plate was not a heel plate, and I agree. First of all, it's too small. There are some websites selling them as such.

Below is a picture I took at the museum that represents the headress or hat that the two small plates above would have looked like intact.

 

[Flaschenjager]

This is the tag describing the hat.