Finds from California

[dagaro17]

Yesterday I found a couple of buttons (Hamilton Carhartt and Levi Strauss) and a small comb (E Atkins Saws, Finest On Earth) at a site I've been to 4 times now. The cabin site dates from the 1850's - 1930's. They ground sluiced for gold in the area.



Some other things that I found at the site...

suspender buckle in perfect shape with patent date March 17, 1885

old ad for the buckle

Shirley President buckle

old pocket knife

tool I've never seen before.

piece of salt glazed ceramic that held seltzer water from Germany

flag grommet patent Aug 26, 1884

sad iron, parts of Hawley Norton small animal trap, bone handled fork, part of clay pipe with McDougall, Glasgow on opposite sides.

I've dug about 150 shell casings. Some headstamps of note (I think): No 10 US Conical Climax, WRA Co 5 06, UMC S & WR, UMC Co No 10 New Club, and two dual pin rimfire casings with no headstamps.

panned a little gold from the creek.

 

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[cudamark]

I like that saw comb!

 

[dave wiseman]

The tool you've never seen before was made from an old style drifting pick...they have the big eyelet....what it was used for,don't know.Perhaps to rake cobbles out of a long tom.

 

[Steve in PA]

Nice group of finds
That saw comb is cool. The Shirley buckle is another suspender clasp. The brass US pocket knife dates to the 1860s and is frequently found in Civil War encampments.

 

[CalReg]

Very nice! This place has to be north of Sacramento...no?

 

[dagaro17]

Thanks everyone. I love that saw comb too. One of my favorite finds.

Dave: I think that is a plausible use for that pick tool. It’s heavy duty and I’m a bit confused as to why they threw it out (it was where they tossed their trash). It’s in good shape with no cracks or anything...

Steve in PA: Thanks. That’s cool that the knife has ties to the Civil War period. One of my best finds. I’ve only been detecting for less than a year.

CalReg: yes, the site is in the Klamath Mountains.

 

[Steve in PA]

Steve in PA: Thanks. That’s cool that the knife has ties to the Civil War period. One of my best finds. I’ve only been detecting for less than a year.

Here are a couple similar brass handled knives I've found. The bottom one is from a Civil War site in West Virginia. The top one is from a log cabin site in Pennsylvania.

 

[dagaro17]

Steve: Those knives are really cool! Bet you the owners were bummed when they lost those way back then.

 

[gunsil]

The comb is a mustache comb, very cool!!

 

[dagaro17]

thanks gunsil. Maybe it was a promotional item that came with this saw found at the site. Probably not.

Here's a pic off the internet with the original packaging

 

[Tencents]

The comb is too cool!

 

[xcopperstax]

Very cool that you found all those items from everyday gold mining life and then found some actual gold in the same place! Those Carhartt and Levi's buttons are super cool. Not that I would sell but they could be worth something as people collect that stuff and workwear associated with the gold rush gives it a great story. If you look on youtube these guys found some old levi's in a mineshaft and they are worth a couple hundred thousand bucks! I think they are among the oldest known Levi's in existence.

 

[Digger RJ]

Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Trezurehunter]

Looks like some nice relics. I also like that Saw Comb. That is a neat find.

 

[dagaro17]

xcopperstax: I watched that video. That's amazing! What a find.
I looked into the value of those buttons online and I could get maybe $10-15 apiece. If only I could find an intact pair of jeans, but not likely in rainy Northern California.

 

[cudamark]

Quite a diverse collection of finds. I see part of a blade hold-down off a wood plane, and the base to an old clothes iron in your batch too.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Great bunch of relics and cool gold!

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

The tool you've never seen before was made from an old style drifting pick...they have the big eyelet....what it was used for,don't know.Perhaps to rake cobbles out of a long tom.

I just talked with my dad (we have both found these). His first impression is that they were used to rake sluice boxes. I think it's entirely too heavy.

The example I have, shows evidence of being driven into something, with the tips peened over almost to secure it. The eyelet is bent out of shape and would no longer secure a handle. It's possible it was a pick repurposed as a rake, then repurposed as a timber pin of some sort. I'm thinking possibly an improvised log dog for hewing timbers.

I'd love to know the answer. I'll look closer tomorrow to see if I have any others, as well as looking at the ones my dad has to see if his has been pounded on as well or if the tips are peened over. They are not super common to come across. I think late 1850's

Here a picture of the one I could find in the dark..



I have found one of promotional mustache combs a long time ago while bottle digging.
I don't know where it's at or I'd look to see what company it was from. I'm thinking 1890-1900 as a guess.

Neat finds!

 

[caprock]

Used in hydraulic mines for raking and prying rocks

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Used in hydraulic mines for raking and prying rocks
View attachment 1847883

I was hoping you might chime in.

Great picture - I'm going to save that one for sure.
So my example was obviously used for something else later due to the eyelet being beaten into submission?
Maybe driven into a crack in some hard bedrock?