Gold Nuggets found INSIDE an 1800's bottle + PICS

[nero_design]

This is the bottle forum so I thought someone else might be interested in a glass bottle I found. I came across this artifact in the Goldfields of Sydney, Australia a few months back and recently traced the origins of the bottle to the descendants of the manufacturer.

The glass was made in the 1850's and was produced in Botany Bay in Sydney, Australia for the purpose of bottling Whiskey. Whilst prohibited on the goldfields, it was smuggled in by so-called "Sly Grog Traders" who made a living out of this activity and the penalty for being caught doing so was usually having your possessions burned plus "6 weeks on the logs" - (a month an a half chained to the road-gang convicts laying down logs across the roads to enable stage coaches to pass more effectively and chained to a tree at night). I found the bottle under an uprooted tree near the fabled town of Ironbark (now called Stuart Town) whilst metal detecting. I soaked it in warm water for a few days to loosen the dirt inside it. When I placed the bottle into an ultrasonic cleaner to blast away leaves and other dirt debris, I heard a clinking sound and turned the cleaner off. Inside the bottle were four small, native gold nuggets which I've photographed here in front of the bottle.

Though probably placed in the bottle by the old timer who picked them up over a hundred years ago, I can't imagine why it was left behind. The bottle was wedged tightly under the roots themselves It has the words " This Bottle is the Property of Tucker & Co." on the front, embossed in the glass surface. Looks like the neck was designed to accept a cork. If I can, I'll photograph the bottle in its entirety.

I located the descendants of the Tucker & Co factory although they haven't shown much more than a passing curiosity on the bottle.



Inspecting the Prospector diggings (Circa 1850's) with my Minelab X-Terra 70. Some of these shafts were quite deep and I wouldn't want to be wandering about here after the sun sets lest I disappear down one.




The town still bears signs of the early pioneer days. The old derelict buildings still stand. It's actually creepy as heck out there. Quite a few people either disappear there or turn up dead in the area from "foul play". I got spooked a couple of times near an old creek bed earlier that afternoon and on one occasion pulled off my earphones for a while to see if I was being stalked by someone/something. Not sure if I'd return by myself alone. I always have at least one other person with me in case of an accident. Plenty of unmarked graves here... usually identified by a specific formation of rocks. Will return come summer since it's almost below zero out there right now.

[ohio]

Awesome pics and story! Congrats!
Chuck

[Dave45]

thats too cool

[jimb]

That is a double find! You are one lucky person. Keep up the good work!

[scrounger d detector collector]

very few places in the usa like thisstill standing.

[Bum Luck]

Nice find!

Maybe they belonged to someone "foul played" on.

Quite a few people either disappear there or turn up dead in the area from "foul play".

Take care and hunt with someone from now on. Earphones off.

[crazyjarhead]

Now thats a nice hunt