hit a rock pile at the ATV trails

[funkman]

Had a training class all last week so I took tiday off and hit my trails. Had no luck except for some cruddy iron. Went up one of the paths that I usually go up and wanted to investigate this pile of rocks that I could not get to easily with all the vegetation. Since Fall is here I was able to get into this pile.
I swung the coil over the pile and got a good signal so I did what all of us would do in this situation....I started digging!
The first piece that came out of this pile was and still is a mystery to me. It is some sort of bracket or buckle that has a picture of an owl on the front. I was happy with this strange find but since this was a big pile of rocks I wanted to investigate it further.

I probed with the pinpointer and was getting targets so I kept moving rocks. I started coming across pottery shards with a nice blue pattern, possibly an Oriental design on it. I also noticed other strange non-metallic items coming out of this pile.....pieces of shoes or shoe leather. I have three soles, I think they were soles stuck togetther. ALso kept pulling sides of shoe leather with the eyelets already in them. I'm not sure if the owner of the homestead here was a cobbler or possibly an ancestor of Imelda Marcos lived here. (kudos to all who get my joke!)
Anyway besides the many shoe pieces and pottery, I was able to come up with two salt or pepper shaker tops, two harmonica reeds, which were stuck together also so possibly the whole harmonica was there and disintegrated, a couple of spoons, and one complete shoe horn and one broken.

Well no coins today but had a great time beating myself up moving all those rocks and I think I made out pretty good with the relics I came home with.
Anyone a shoe expert that could possibly take a try at dating those shoe pieces? I know it is a hard request but possibly someone else has come across shoe leather at other sites. Will also post the owl thing in "what is it" section to see if anyone can ID that. Take a stab at it here also.

Thanks for taking the time to look at the pics and to read the post.


Funkman

 

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[diggin jimmy hoffa]

Cool finds there Funkman
The Owl thingy reminds me of a collar bar or collar pin. Holds the collar down over a tie or whatever. Not quite sure, but it looks pretty cool to say the least.
HH

 

[EARTHWORKS]

Wow: Love that owl thing! Looks like there should be a bar that should go across into each hole left and right.
Maybe the front door knocker? That would be cool. Try cleaning that up it still looks like its in great shape.
If you want, I can always meet you sometime being that I work a lot in Middletown and try cleaning that piece myself. I'll make that look brand new.
Earthworks...

 

[Nana40]

Neat finds! That owl is great! 8)

If you are trying to date the relics from the site, you might try looking on the back side of the spoons and looking up the the makers mark. ? I don't have a clue on the leather pieces you found though.

Congrats on your finds! Nana

 

[romeo-1]

Cool finds! I like the owl!

 

[piggman1]

Cool finds, I like that owl.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Excellent job and that Owl is awesome! Keep digging!!!!1

 

[Old Dog]

Funkman,

The owl thing looks to be either a Door or drawer pull the cross handle is missing.

OD

 

[TORPEDOX]

Great finds! the owl does look as though it's a door knocker. the tops of the "salt and Pepper" shakers are actually the tops of old foot powder, or talcolm powder cans. my grandmother had a cupboard full of that stuff. Grandpa's feet must have stank somthing awfull!

 

[EDDE]

the salty and pepper tops are talc/baby powder lids

 

[funkman]

thanks for the replies all. I did not think about those lids being off anything but salt and pepper shakers but you all have gave me something new to think of when I am searching. It makes sense with the shoe items that that is what they should be.

Trying to clean the shoe peices up a bit but the leather is so brittle and they dry in the folded shape that they were found. Will try soaking a couple of pieces and then pressing them like leafs to see if they can mantain a flat shape. One of them is definately from a childs shoe. I can even make out the stitch holes. Wonder if they were whole when put in the ground. I imagine they would have been since the stitching holes that would have attached them to the sole.

Thanks again

Funkman