-
Feb 28, 2016, 10:34 AM
#1
What a day...some unique finds including 1600's to civil war (confederate brass!)
On thursday evening I finally got an in at a site that I have been hoping to get on for quite some time now. Confirmed on Friday and provided literally the keys to the gates and on Saturday Bill D and I ran out to check it out. First though I have a little catch up. The previous weekend, I managed to get out for a short and snowy return visit to the site that let Bill and I down a few weeks ago. I spent 4 or 5 hours walking some new and old fields and while I managed a hand full of buttons and another 1736-1795 Kao Tsung (Ch'ien-Lung Dynasty) Chinese coin it was lack luster. This is another 1700's Chinese coin and joins the family of several that came from an adjacent farm. That and a tudor rose cufflink seemed to be the better of the finds. I am confident a decent find will come from this site, but not the quantity I had hoped.
On to yesterday, this site was historically rich from the 1600-1700s. However, there also was quite a bit civil war activity which means that I felt it had likely seen diggers before, most likely night vultures. Sadly, it seemed to be the case as while Bill and I found a decent amount, you could easily tell that it had been dug heavily over the years. This was a 300+ acre site, so we had our work cut out to cover as much of it as possible. We started out checking some likely colonial sites and while we saw signs of a dwelling that once existed, the finds were few and far. I managed to dig a nice set of 1700's mourning urn cufflinks and a couple of other buttons from the site. We then decided to take a long walk into the lower fields which did produce a nice early buckle and a surprise pocket civil war bullets. Sadly the other house site that I knew was on or near the property border seemed to be just across the lane on another property (to be continued...).
After a long walk we headed back to where we started. We decided to head back to the truck for lunch and I picked a high knoll that had some brick and lots of modern and old trash mixed in that we walked through earlier in the morning. Once ascending the hill I dug a neat little target that looked like a coin or token. After getting home it was truly a unique find as it was kind of a both. This is a dated 1847 W & T Avery apothecary weight (2 scrupel) and certainly something that I did not know existed. Literally 5 feet later I hit another nice tone, and I half expected it to be another civil war bullet or perhaps coin. Out popped a big two piece button and to my surprise it was a North Carolina state seal confederate button!
After lunch we took a long stroll and checked on a few sites before ending back up where we first started during the morning. Surprisingly, the finds picked up as I began to dig buttons, buckles and other odds and ends (including a nice glass inset button). Two civil war artillery friction primers (the brass tubes) also surfaced, both being fired which was unique as the site did not see fighting.
At the end of the day I decided to walk back to where the NC button came from when I received a nice deep but high and large tone. I did not expect it to be much more than big brass farm equipment when to my surprise out popped the Brass patch stock case cover to a model 1841 musket (Whitney, Harpers Ferry). These were fairly common muskets used by confederate troops and due to its proximity to the NC button and presence of bullets and friction primers, I feel confident it was war used. I also feel confident the rest of the gun is mixed in somewhere as the entire piece is intact and this would have been affixed to the musket stock.
I did find some proof to show those individuals who call every brass screw a frizzen pan or jaw screw from flint lock muskets. I have long debated that these are actually furniture parts and surely this proof shows that as it is A. still attached to the furniture plate and B. attached by a screwed washer.
My total finds for the day include 12 buttons, the token/weight, gun part and other odds and ends (bridle chain, large portion to early bell, etc.). While this site too will not provide the quantity of relics I had hoped, it will by all expectations, produce a few really good finds.
HH
Dan
-
Feb 28, 2016, 10:38 AM
#2
Incredible finds! I must say, those mourning links are my favorite! Very high on my bucket list! Love the nc button too!
"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual." -Thomas Jefferson
-
Feb 28, 2016, 10:55 AM
#3
 Fly Navy!
WOW!
.:: We Salute Our Veterans ::.
"A free people ought to be armed." - George Washington (January 7th, 1790)
..: Criminals obey "gun control" laws in the same manner politicians follow their oaths of office :..
.:: Rules and Guidelines ::.
-
Feb 28, 2016, 11:10 AM
#4
 Randy
Anything That Comes Out of The Dirt Is Awesome!
Best find 1941 Patek Philippe 2 register flat pusher Chronograph Bought 1,000 Sold 62,000 !!
First Year 911 Porsche Purchased 36K SOLD 140K!!! Whoo Hoo
-
Feb 28, 2016, 11:12 AM
#5
The button and cufflinks are two pretty good keepers, and fun when you're popping great things from different eras. You guys have it real tough ... either hunting early Colonial to Rev war, or Rev War to Civil war.. or I bet on the odd occasion early Colonial right to Civil War. Damn it's hard to beat VA!
-
Feb 28, 2016, 11:15 AM
#6
Judging from the backside of the patch box cover hinge portion, I would bet you are right about the musket being somewhere close by. I noticed that the surface is less affected by the ground conditions than the rest of the piece. Probably was on the musket long after it was laid to rest there. I would hit the same area hard....it's gotta be there.
-
Feb 28, 2016, 12:47 PM
#7
That brass stock piece is really cool and would have never figured out what it was. You are a walking encyclopedia! Also, thanks for putting the jaw screw/furniture hardware debate to rest, I can now move them out of my musket parts box 
Nice frizzen Frezza !!
-
Feb 28, 2016, 02:16 PM
#8
Although the site didn't contain everything we were hoping for, I'd say you had quite a day none-the-less. I know we had to work hard for what we found, but it was well worth the effort, especially in your case. I'll have to say those cufflinks are pretty cool and are my favorite, and that apothecary weight is a close second. Nice summary post, and thanks for letting me tag along.
MY BOOK HAS SOLD OUT OF ALL 1200+ COPIES IN LESS THAN 4 MONTHS. NO 2ND PRINTING IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. THANKS TO ALL WHO MADE THIS PROJECT A SUCCESS.
|
 |
-
Feb 28, 2016, 05:17 PM
#9
 Tommy
Great suff I would keep looking for the gun that plate went with Great history!!!!!!
-
Feb 28, 2016, 05:32 PM
#10
 Originally Posted by joeyfresh
That brass stock piece is really cool and would have never figured out what it was. You are a walking encyclopedia! Also, thanks for putting the jaw screw/furniture hardware debate to rest, I can now move them out of my musket parts box
Nice frizzen Frezza  !!
Ha ha, thanks man...for reading through the entire post. Honestly, so many swear they are those screws...very few are.
-
Feb 28, 2016, 05:33 PM
#11
 Originally Posted by Iron Patch
The button and cufflinks are two pretty good keepers, and fun when you're popping great things from different eras. You guys have it real tough  ... either hunting early Colonial to Rev war, or Rev War to Civil war.. or I bet on the odd occasion early Colonial right to Civil War. Damn it's hard to beat VA!
Thanks man...we are lucky to live in a good area...but that also brings with it more competition from other diggers.
-
Feb 28, 2016, 06:20 PM
#12
 art
Congrats on some great finds
Growing old is not for sissies I thought it would take longer to get old.
-
Feb 28, 2016, 06:36 PM
#13
Awesome Finds Dan 
Nice Display Pictures !
& Cuff Links
Last edited by jeff of pa; Feb 28, 2016 at 07:55 PM.
-
Feb 28, 2016, 07:12 PM
#14
Great hunt and post Dan Those cufflinks are awesome man. I especially like your COMPLETE patch box cover plate. I dug the engraved Colonial on this fall and have been searching for the rest of it since. Really nice that you got the hinge and all. Solid hunt all around man.
-
Feb 28, 2016, 07:28 PM
#15
 Originally Posted by OutdoorAdv
Great hunt and post Dan  Those cufflinks are awesome man. I especially like your COMPLETE patch box cover plate. I dug the engraved Colonial on this fall and have been searching for the rest of it since. Really nice that you got the hinge and all. Solid hunt all around man.
Thanks man...this is the second complete one i've found and very cool indeed. Obviously not as ornate as the one you found, but a big hunk of brass none the less.
Dan
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules
Similar Threads
-
By HomeGuardDan in forum Today's Finds!
Replies: 32
Last Post: Nov 22, 2015, 11:09 PM
-
By mudduck in forum What Is It?
Replies: 3
Last Post: May 26, 2015, 09:48 PM
-
By cambria09 in forum Today's Finds!
Replies: 7
Last Post: Feb 20, 2014, 12:27 PM
-
By Poptopagain in forum Today's Finds!
Replies: 14
Last Post: Oct 31, 2009, 04:36 AM
-
By comfyinvermont in forum Today's Finds!
Replies: 8
Last Post: Aug 01, 2007, 10:51 AM
|