rusted tobacco tin found yesterday

[1krazeepolack]

I was metal detecting a box canyon yesterday & dug up a tobacco tin. I almost tossed it, but then thought-"what if"?? Lo & behold!! A paper folded several times. Extremely fragile!! As I started to unfold it, it started to break up, but not before I saw some legible writing on it. Now-How do I carefully unfold this dried, crumbly paper to read the contents?? I stopped unfolding as soon as I saw the damage start. HELP

[Mr Ripley]

Was the paper printed or written by hand?

Was it folded to approx. the height of the tin??

Mr R

[1krazeepolack]

The writing appears to be in pencil. It definitely is hand written, & folded into about 2" square. As of this moment, I dare not touch it. It appears to be an old Prince Albert tin.

[Mr Ripley]

Hmm. There goes my theory, thought I could save you some trouble. Some tobacco companies (Prince Albert being one of them) sometimes enclosed paper forms in their tins that the customer filled out to redeem or buy premiums. Some were made of a waxy paper that became very brittle over time.

Handwritten is a different story, sorry I am no help. One would think there was some kind of process to "soften up" document enough to open them, maybe someone else knows...

Good luck with this, keep us posted

Mr R

[1krazeepolack]

I've now added the photo's. You can visibly see the paper inside the tin. I carefully started to open it, but some bug on my shoulder hollered "STOP! FOOL"!! I stopped! I know certain process's can restore or repair brittle paper(s) but I need sound advice before pursuing this. Who knows? I could or could not be sitting on something interesting. It is extremely fragile & brittle. I have serious reservations about doing anything w/this on my own w/o proper methodology? The printing was quite legible when I 1st started to open it. How should this be stored until proper ID can be made? It was located in extremely dry desert soil. Any questions/answers would be very helpful

[savant365]

I can't help you with the restoration but I want to tag along to see what happens. Do you think maybe you found an old mine claim?

HH Charlie

[1krazeepolack]

Very hard to say, Charlie. I HAVE FOUND several old mine shafts in the area in the past few day. I do recall reading in old books about miners writing their claims into an old tin, nw that you bring it up. There are @ LEAST 2 shafts here (among others) that I found recently, & will NOT enter! One has the entry appearance of being ready to cave in @ any given moment.

[PBK]

Agreed: very likely a claim marker, as they were often stashed in P.A. tobacco cans.

http://www.cinmaco.com/views/view1.html

[lostcauses]

from your description of the condition of the paper it will fragment if you try an unfold it. Can it be cut to the squares it is fold in??
Use of two glass plates window kind, can allow you to lay out the document as you take it apart.
One glass can cover it as such is being done.
The cost to use preservation methods on this is more likely costly to the value of the document. It is most likely an old corner marker for a mining claim as said by savant365. Was there a pile of rocks were you found it??
Good luck.

[1krazeepolack]

It was found approximately a foot deep, @ the "head" of a box canyon. Way too much fallen rock to discern it's exact location. I have just hopefully found a way to help preserve it temporarily. I placed it into a home vacuum sealing unit, but- Not before temptation got to me. I gingerly lifted one section of the folded paper w/a knife edge & read the # "7" on two different lines. I HAD to seal this thing before temptation runs rampant w/me. I'll keep posting this as I find more.

[lostcauses]

If the plastic is acidic, it may do more damage than not.

[Monty]

Looks like it needs to be humidified some how. I'd put it in close proximity to a cold air humidifier and see if it helped any. otherwise I'd take it to a museum and see if they had an expert to look at it. Monty

[Kentucky Kache]

Looks like Prince Albert escaped that can long ago.

I think Monty has the right idea. Take it to a professional, whether that be a museum, a university, whatever. If I had found it, temptation would probably have already destroyed it. WTG.

[extractor]

likely a claim marker

[1krazeepolack]

OK! For all you hieroglyphics folks out there, here's my "what is it" puzzle. Can anyone decipher more of the writing here, then I could? It definitely is a claim marker! I seem to read; 774 ft -esterly? Next row of numbers; 733 ft Easterly 3rd row of #'s ;330 ft. there also are #'s @ the very top of the paper, seemingly consisting of # 30, some X marks, & others. The self photography is the best I was able to obtain. I checked the penciled writing w/a black light, & a back light, to no avail. Any assistance would be helpful. Thank you one & all. (incidentally) I was unable to obtain any GPS readings on this site. Garmin couldn't give me a reading except for within 83 feet of the area the tin was found. If this post is in the wrong location, someone please advise. This is my 1st day posting on TNET. Thanks again.

[shaun7]

Looks like it was too far gone to get one piece anyway! A great find

[extractor]

I would cross post it in the Prospecting forum also.

[C. Myers]

For future reference and if you can not afford to have a museum restore the papers for you, you can lightly spray it with water. Do not saturate it. As you are lightly spraying it with water, have a steam iron ready to go, on steam. Then slowly start opening the paper, gently. Spray it, steam it, open some more, etc.
I have done this with payroll papers from mining districts and old newspapers.
It works.
You just need to have patience.
And it does not matter if the item is written in pen or pencil - this process will not ruin the writing.