Colonial finds today (huge lock) and other finds from the weekend

[mangum]

Hello all! I got out to a couple sites Friday with minimal (good) finds. My best find was a navy button although I'm unsure of the age. I will clean it better when I get home. It is flat in shape not domed. Any help is appreciated. I had a wedding to attend Saturday so no hunting. I got out to one of my usual colonial sites today for about 4 hours & was beat by the heat! It's hard hunting in an open field with the sun beaming down on you. I'm sure I'll be as red as a lobster tomorrow! I did manage a few finds although the signals are few & far between (Ok with me though!) I found 2 flat buttons, 1 is marked and fairly legible. I also found a saddle or harness decoration that is filled with lead, first one I've found like that. My favorite find of the day is this huge colonial lock! It is definitely worthy of electrolysis (which I have yet to try). I also found a broken arrowhead. Still not a single coin from this site but I haven't given up! Now time to drive back to the big city and back to work tomorrow :-( Thanks for looking & HH!!!

 

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[tngirl]

That lock is a MONSTER! Definitely worth trying the electrolysis on that one.

 

[mangum]

Also found a couple bottles, nothing really old but Ill keep them since they came from my great grandmothers home. The cobalt blue bottles seem to be popular now

 

[terpfan]

Nice set of colonial finds! Earlier in the year I found a lock of nearly identical design, yet a bit smaller. I too want to put it through electrolysis. Are you certain that your lock dates to colonial times? I would be thrilled if my lock was that old.

 

[SkyPirate]

Nice finds over your way!

 

[granthansen]

Good stuff! I found a lock just like that and it cleaned up nicely in apple cider vinegar.

Great button too!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

That lock is almost identical to the 2 that Dan and I dug late last winter in a trash pit at a colonial homesite. We've dated them to 1750-1800 and believe they were used with a large trunk based on other hardware found in the pit. It should clean up nicely with electrolysis although it may take 7-10 days. Great find!

 

[ekeisler]

Does that lock have a crown or initials on it like mine?

 

[huntsman53]

Great finds and congrats! That button is awesome and could be rare. It appears to have the writing "RICHGRANGE" on it and below, what appears to be a Colonial motif. I have seen this or something similar before somewhere but just can't recall when and where. It will really be nice to see what else can be identified on it, when it is all cleaned up!


Frank

 

[mangum]

Nice set of colonial finds! Earlier in the year I found a lock of nearly identical design, yet a bit smaller. I too want to put it through electrolysis. Are you certain that your lock dates to colonial times? I would be thrilled if my lock was that old.

Terpfan - I would say yes, the lock is definitely colonial period. Everything I have found at this site is from circa mid 18th to very early 19th century. Take a look at Bill's post. He dates it 1750-1800 & I fully trust what he says.

 

[mangum]

Does that lock have a crown or initials on it like mine?

Evan, No, this one is all iron & probably 100 years older than the VR one you found.

 

[mangum]

That lock is almost identical to the 2 that Dan and I dug late last winter in a trash pit at a colonial homesite. We've dated them to 1750-1800 and believe they were used with a large trunk based on other hardware found in the pit. It should clean up nicely with electrolysis although it may take 7-10 days. Great find!

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=818494"/>

Thanks Bill, that does look identical in shape to mine, thanks for the great information as always! Yours cleaned up nice, I'll send you a photo of mine when I get it cleaned up.

 

[mangum]

Great finds and congrats! That button is awesome and could be rare. It appears to have the writing "RICHGRANGE" on it and below, what appears to be a Colonial motif. I have seen this or something similar before somewhere but just can't recall when and where. It will really be nice to see what else can be identified on it, when it is all cleaned up!

Frank

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=818604"/>

Frank- it does appear to say Richgrange now that you pointed it out. Underneath it says colour. I probably won't clean this anymore as I don't want to lose any detail. I did a quick search & couldn't find anything. This is actually the second one of these I've found at this site, any info would be appreciated. As a side note- I never reply to my own posts this much - just questions I need to answer. Not bumping intentionally! (Some of you will recall one if my previous frustration posts!)

 

[vpnavy]

Nice finds mangum.

 

[granthansen]

This is the lock I found. I soaked it in ACV for about 10 days... you may look at it and think, that doesn't look great. However, before I soaked it, I didn't even know it WAS a lock!

 

[mangum]

This is the lock I found. I soaked it in ACV for about 10 days... you may look at it and think, that doesn't look great. However, before I soaked it, I didn't even know it WAS a lock!

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=818710"/>

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=818711"/>

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=818712"/>

Thanks for the tip Grant, I believe I will try this out, people seem pleased with the results. This also sound a lot less complicated than electrolysis (which knowing me I'd never get around to). I'll give it a week then post the results along with a few other iron relics that need some attention. Thanks again!

 

[BondJamesBond]

mangum,

I found what I believe is a match for the lock you have pictured. It can be found for Identification in the 1902 Sears & Roebuck catalog. That is where I found it under padlocks. Unfortunately I do not have the book with me to tell you the page number but, if you secure a catalog, you will find it there.

BondJamesBond

 

[mangum]

mangum,

I found what I believe is a match for the lock you have pictured. It can be found for Identification in the 1902 Sears & Roebuck catalog. That is where I found it under padlocks. Unfortunately I do not have the book with me to tell you the page number but, if you secure a catalog, you will find it there.

BondJamesBond

There have been no late 19th or early 20th century items unearthed at this site, only colonial era relics. Also, Bill D posted an identical lock in this post & he dates it 1750-1800. I am confident that he is correct.

 

[relicmeister]

Really great finds, Magnum. You be on a roll!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Chris - I was trying to find a definitive reference that I'd seen recently to confirm the age of your lock, but have been unable to put my finger on it. However, I just scanned a pic of a similar lock from one of Ivor Hume's books that is also quite similar and it said to date to 1770-1780 (the one on the left is the best match). I also saw another close match in my Neumann and Kravic book that dates between 1750-80. If I can find that other reference I'll post it, but regardless I still feel confident in yours being late 18th century. Also, as additional confirmation, the site and trash pit where Dan and I found our locks produced finds from the mid-1600s to about 1810, with nothing dating any later than that. Good luck with the cleaning.