Early Relics in Missouri.. Lead Knuckles??

[umrgolf]

Two days ago I went on a permission mission about 20 miles from the camps I've been hunting on the opposite side of town. Based on research, I suspected this field had early settlements and secured permission. I've located what I believe is an old homesite that probably dates from around 1840 and was occupied no later than the 1870's. First trip I got the 1861 quarter, a few eagle buttons, and other relics.

Today, I went back for a few hours and was very surprised at some of the earlier relics coming from this small rectangular area of the field. The spoon bowls appear to be pewter, three having the shellback design, one a floral pattern, and the other a heart. Today the only CW relic was the knapsack hook and possibly the knuckles??

I haven't gotten on the web to research the knuckles yet, but they are very intriguing and I appreciate any input.

 

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[hdmech71]

Wow, those are some cool finds. Love the bottle tops too. Those lead knuckles look mean.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Those spoon bowls are really early. I've found similar ones here at colonial sites. How early do you think that site was occupied? Very nice Jeff.

 

[dvdwin]

thats nice finds!

 

[umrgolf]

Those spoon bowls are really early. I've found similar ones here at colonial sites. How early do you think that site was occupied? Very nice Jeff.

county was incorporated in mid-1840's, but I'd guess this is an 1830's-40's settlement.. haven't found anything other than the spoon bowls that makes me think earlier

 

[GP1970]

awesome

 

[old digger]

Nice Finds! Congratulations!

 

[umrgolf]

Posted these in what is it, and one link provided states-

"During the Civil War, soldiers on both sides would have a lot of free time at camp and since there was a lot of hand-to-hand combat many soldiers who could not buy cast iron or more expensive brass knuckles would make their own lead knuckles by melting down bullets and pouring the toxic molten metal into simple dirt or sand molds. Some soldiers would also carve wooden knuckles and at least one Civil War history book claims POW's were known to make them."

Whether or not these were a soldier's, I won't know. However, during the Civil War, the soldiers in my area outnumbered the locals 25:1

 

[lost hunter]

 

[umrgolf]

anyone got any info on 3-finger lead knuckles?

 

[CrazySlasher]

anyone got any info on 3-finger lead knuckles?

Tried searching around, could not find anything

 

[Marinehunter]

Some very interesting finds, I would like to know more on the knuckles.

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

yep now those knuckles are cool!

 

[CC Hunter]

Nice Knuckles!

Fairly uncommon find these days, and a great addition to most any collection.

Your pewter spoon bowls are exactly the same as those we commonly see recovered in sites dating from the 1850's through the 1870's. The shell pattern is typical of the Charles Parker made spoons, dating around 1849-50. The flower pattern tends to be a bit later it seems, as I've found those in sites all the way up to the 1880's.

In your group of finds, everything I'm seeing is consistent with finds from sites dating after the 1840's, rather than earlier. Remember as well, that people rarely lose and discard "new" items. An 1830's site would typically yield dug objects spanning 1800 to 1830 era.

CC Hunter

 

[umrgolf]

Nice Knuckles!

Fairly uncommon find these days, and a great addition to most any collection.

Your pewter spoon bowls are exactly the same as those we commonly see recovered in sites dating from the 1850's through the 1870's. The shell pattern is typical of the Charles Parker made spoons, dating around 1849-50. The flower pattern tends to be a bit later it seems, as I've found those in sites all the way up to the 1880's.

In your group of finds, everything I'm seeing is consistent with finds from sites dating after the 1840's, rather than earlier. Remember as well, that people rarely lose and discard "new" items. An 1830's site would typically yield dug objects spanning 1800 to 1830 era.

CC Hunter

Thanks for the detailed reply.. I am glad to know the dates of the items I'm digging, so I guess a better date on the site would be closer to 1850-1875 .. I did find one lantern piece patented 1873 and also some CW stuff mixed in. I know there are some earlier settlements very nearby, but the grass is a few inches too tall to detect. Will have to wait til later in the fall when they are cut. I will need a couple 5 gallon buckets to remove all the iron from this small homesite Maybe a blacksmith shop

 

[BuckleBoy]

Both diggergirl and I have dug lead knuckles. I don't think either pair of ours was 3-finger holes--but these were probably cast in a multitude of different molds. Perhaps even homemade molds. Mine had a CW soldier's name scratched in. Both sites we found them on were pre-CW.

The spoon bowls I have generally only found on sites that had a lot of flat buttons, so I figured they dated into the early 1800s or even late 1700s. But it could be that they were carried with when the settlers arrived. That is the case with all of the "dandy" buttons I found in Kentucky. They were repurposed in almost every case (extra holes punched in to sew on again after their shanks broke, or punched to hang on a necklace or turned into a whizzer).

Cheers,


Buckles

 

[coinshooter]

They probably broke off the third knuckle on someone's
face.

 

[CC Hunter]

BuckleBoy,

There are indeed pewter spoons that are 18th century and Colonial period, although they are of a much different style than we see here with umrgolf's later period pewter or white metal spoons. Pewter and similar style white metal spoons were in fact made and in use well through the mid-19th century, and Civil War era. Also, some of the white metal "pewter type" spoons we see from the 19th century, are in fact Britannia metal, made from a tin alloy. Providing the spoon bowls you are finding in context with numerous flat buttons, are in fact made of pewter and have a "rat tail" design on the bowl, then you are definitely into the 18th century (1700's). Bear in mind as well, that flat buttons were made in quantity up through the 1840's and even 1850's.


http://www.pastmasters.info/PewterSpoons.pdf

These shell pattern backed and floral pattern backed spoon bowls, are often found in some areas completely intact with company markings on the handle, such as C. Parker. From research by myself and associates, we know that Charles Parker was in the business of manufacturing spoons in and about 1849-50.

The spoons and spoon parts shown below, were found in sites active in the 1850's.

CC Hunter

 

[Hill Billy]

Good digs Jeff

 

[steelheadwill]

Nice Digs!
Great asssortment of finds,
Love the spigot, recently dug one of very similar style, still has a piece of lead pipe attached. pretty piece.
I don't recall the difference in readings for pewter and 'nickel silver/brittannia metal'
I can say that it is a much more durable material and will not show edge flaking
and brittleness that pewter displays.
it would be quite difficult to break a nickel silver spoon.

How do those knuckles fit the hand?
HH to ya