The best of 2023!

[Sitcoms]

I know I'm a day or two late, but it's a busy time. Wanted to share some of my finds from this year - only my second year digging, and the first spending much of the summer researching and digging my way through these finds. Below are some of my best finds from the year - both bottles and other items! There are certainly more - like old adze and ax heads, but couldn't get photographs.

Some of these have made an appearance in other threads of mine, so apologies if you've seen them before. I'll leave any info/the lettering I know about them next to the pictures.

- H.W. Huguley Co., 134 Canal Street, Boston. Still has what I believe are the original contents sealed via the cork.

- I.C.U. Whiskey, Mihalovich, Fletcher & Co.., Cincinatti

- Beer bottle from the Continental Brewing Co., Boston. From what I can find this name was only used between about 1901 and 1903/4.

- a bevy of ACL sodas. Most were bottled in Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts.

- an array of inkwells, in several styles. Mostly Carter's, Waterman's, or Skrip.

- this particular Waterman's still had some ink and the original stopper, though it's not doing much stopping nowadays.

 

[Sitcoms]

Part 2 - non-bottles:

- two toy guns; the revolver one is a Hubley "Smoky" cap gun, produced in the 1950s. The more modern looking pistol is a Hubley Dick Tracy cap gun, probably from the decade prior (1940s).

-The glasses were found in a part of the dump with mainly 1950s stuff, but I'm unsure how to date an object like this. I still thought they were interesting enough to keep. The rest of the photos are the first of the clay pipe ends I was able to find in the river this year.

- an array of brass items, mostly from the same spot in a mucky riverbed. The clover pendant has no other marks on it; the clasp on the left was made by "Warren", and has a patent dates of "89 & 92". The one on the top right has two patent dates 1-28-90 and 12-31-95, along with the name "Velvet Grip" at the bottom.The clas to the bottom left is also made by Warren, and has a patent date of "Aug 90" on it - and still works!. The plate was from some kind of machinery, and states "E.T. Burrowes & Co., Pat. Dec. 3 1878, Portland, Maine"

- and finally, my best find of the year in my opinion. This is a commemorative/souvenir teacup from Bathurst, New Brunswick, showing the Custom House and Post Office in that town. This cup is in 100% complete condition, though much of the dark marking is forever stained on for fear of removing the image in the process. This building still exists today.

Here's to another great digging year in 2024!

 

[UnderMiner]

Great finds! Good luck in the new year!

 

[kaper6]

You are a treasure hunter. I love the variety in your findings. The pipe bowls are very similar (identical) to the pipes I have found on the Thames, London. They are dated, roughly, by the size of the stem. Yours have thin stems so they may be from the 17th century. Fatter stems are later. Ship workers at dock would throw these pipes overboard, as they were considered to be 'one use'. They were manufactured, as I understand it, with tobacco and thrown away like a cigarette. Here is just one example:https://www.beachcombingmagazine.com/blogs/news/mudlarking-the-art-of-smoking. Enjoy your fabulous finds!

 

[Sitcoms]

You are a treasure hunter. I love the variety in your findings. The pipe bowls are very similar (identical) to the pipes I have found on the Thames, London. They are dated, roughly, by the size of the stem. Yours have thin stems so they may be from the 17th century. Fatter stems are later. Ship workers at dock would throw these pipes overboard, as they were considered to be 'one use'. They were manufactured, as I understand it, with tobacco and thrown away like a cigarette. Here is just one example:https://www.beachcombingmagazine.com/blogs/news/mudlarking-the-art-of-smoking. Enjoy your fabulous finds!

Thank you for your kind words - I often take anything that catches my eye or that I believe can be repurposed into something else. I have heard of the bore hole being used to identify the age, but I know little beyond that. The are that these were found had European settlement as early as right around 1800. Probably not 17th century, but still pretty early for this area!

 

[hemihampton]

my info say's Continental Brewing Co. from 1896-1901. Leon.

 

[DeepSeaDan]

That is one killer cup! Amazing to find it in one piece - congratulations on that & your other treasures - what might 2024 hold for you? We'll find out!

 

[Sitcoms]

That is one killer cup! Amazing to find it in one piece - congratulations on that & your other treasures - what might 2024 hold for you? We'll find out!

I was astonished to find it - it was a completely blind grab! The particular riverside where I found it is very muddy, with dark-colored mud that quickly muddies the water. A bit of feeling around in the soft mud and I felt it - and was amazed to find it in one piece!