Lost CSN keepsakes / CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

[Bigcypresshunter]

One of my best finds was an old pouch with a lock of hair, some unidentified newsclippngs, some dozen Civil War brass buttons that were marked "CSN" and made in England on the back sides, (Confederate States Navy) that I found here in South Florida. 8)I hid the pouch with contents in my house somewhere and have yet to find them. I am moving in 4 days. I dont even have pictures. If I find them, I will post. So far no luck. They may be again lost...4 days to find.

 

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[Breezie]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

BCH, I've been up to my eyeballs with pre-Christmas customers plus having remodeling done at my house, so I haven't been on the forum very much at all, but I heard about your fabulous find, so I wanted to let you know my BANNER VOTE is in! CONGRATULATIONS! Breezie

 

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[naturegirl]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

What a story! I love happy endings, and I do think this is a Banner find, all the way around! from the first find, to the actuall items, the value, and the final ending! I guess your sister found them in the house you moved from? Did I miss where she found them? Congrats!!!!! How exciting!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

What a story! I love happy endings, and I do think this is a Banner find, all the way around! from the first find, to the actuall items, the value, and the final ending! I guess your sister found them in the house you moved from? Did I miss where she found them? Congrats!!!!! How exciting!

You didnt miss it. I just didnt explain it well. I live in South Florida. My Mom and sister live in Ocala Florida. I started renting rooms in my house because I needed the money and I gave the pouch with the 4 best buttons to my Mother for safe keeping. I joined TN in 2004 and wanted to post the find because it would have been banner at that time. My Mom, bless her heart, couldnt remember that I gave them to her. She had me convinced they were in my attic at my house that I was selling. My Mom died. My sister emptied her house and found them this week in the bottom of a box in the closet. She mailed them to me. I found them in my mailbox yesterday.

I posted the story in 2005-06 but with no pictures. You know how we like pictures. I have been waiting since 2004 for this day.

Im glad you enjoyed the story its all very true. I found all kinda cool stuff in those old inner city ghetto buildings, including this rare Civil War era .38 pistol combination bullet mold and tool. Another like it was found near Gettysburg. People moved to Lemon City Florida after the CW and brought their precious items with them. The lock of hair belonged to a loved family member. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,20480.0.html

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

BCH,
They look like identical back marks to me. I'd say you have the real deal for sure, only yours is WAY finer than my dug button. I think Santa came early.
You have my BANNER vote for sure. Great story, and fantastic relics.
Congrats to you,
Doug

BCH, I've been up to my eyeballs with pre-Christmas customers plus having remodeling done at my house, so I haven't been on the forum very much at all, but I heard about your fabulous find, so I wanted to let you know my BANNER VOTE is in! CONGRATULATIONS! Breezie

Thanks very much for the banner votes. Living in South Florida I have little chance to find anything outside of the beaches. I think the pouch is one of a kind unique but the original find is too old to make banner. Jeff quickly moved the thread to its proper place from Todays Finds to Best Finds yesterday so it doesnt have a chance now. But thanks I appreciate it. Its good enough for me that someone enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed telling it.

http://relicman.com/buttons/zBackmarkFirmin.htm

 

[Silver Searcher]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today



Just can't believe those crazy prices for buttons over there, but I wouldn't be complaining either if I had them get them sold BigC and buy a new computer. Great story look forward to seeing you on the Banner

SS

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

Just can't believe those crazy prices for buttons over there, but I wouldn't be complaining either if I had them get them sold BigC and buy a new computer. Great story look forward to seeing you on the Banner

SS

Thanks Colin.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

My Banner vote is in! Amazing

 

[jeff of pa]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

My Banner vote is in! Amazing

This is a 2006 Find see his first Post

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

My Banner vote is in! Amazing

This is a 2006 Find see his first Post

Yeah, but it was never really shown back in 2006 Jeff. He lost it and no one ever saw the relics. It was just found.
Come on, without a doubt this post easily deserves BANNER!
-MM-

 

[Breezie]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

My Banner vote is in! Amazing

This is a 2006 Find see his first Post

Yeah, but it was never really shown back in 2006 Jeff. He lost it and no one ever saw the relics. It was just found.
Come on, without a doubt this post easily deserves BANNER!
-MM-

I agree 100%! Actually it is a 'recent' find since he just received it.
His 'finds' deserve BANNER recognition, and shouldn't be left out because of a technicality. BCH spends hours upon hours helping people to ID their items in the What Is It forum, which really has nothing to do with honoring his finds, but there is something to be said about a person who relentlessly helps others, not to mention being a long time faithful member of TNET.
Personally. I think BANNER recognition should be on TOTAL VOTES by established members, and after receiving X amount of votes, the item(s) would make BANNER. Of course, this is my opinion, and we all know what opinions are like.
Breezie

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

My Banner vote is in! Amazing

This is a 2006 Find see his first Post

Yeah, but it was never really shown back in 2006 Jeff. He lost it and no one ever saw the relics. It was just found.
Come on, without a doubt this post easily deserves BANNER!
-MM-

I agree 100%! Actually it is a 'recent' find since he just received it.
His 'finds' deserve BANNER recognition, and shouldn't be left out because of a technicality. BCH spends hours upon hours helping people to ID their items in the What Is It forum, which really has nothing to do with honoring his finds, but there is something to be said about a person who relentlessly helps others, not to mention being a long time faithful member of TNET.
Personally. I think BANNER recognition should be on TOTAL VOTES by established members, and after receiving X amount of votes, the item(s) would make BANNER. Of course, this is my opinion, and we all know what opinions are like.
Breezie

Well said Breezie.
You too have been a fantastic help here on Tnet IDing mystery items for people. I'm really surprised you Sambo pistol never made it up top either. It's not like we see those dug every day.
-MM-

 

[Breezie]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

My Banner vote is in! Amazing

This is a 2006 Find see his first Post

Yeah, but it was never really shown back in 2006 Jeff. He lost it and no one ever saw the relics. It was just found.
Come on, without a doubt this post easily deserves BANNER!
-MM-

I agree 100%! Actually it is a 'recent' find since he just received it.
His 'finds' deserve BANNER recognition, and shouldn't be left out because of a technicality. BCH spends hours upon hours helping people to ID their items in the What Is It forum, which really has nothing to do with honoring his finds, but there is something to be said about a person who relentlessly helps others, not to mention being a long time faithful member of TNET.
Personally. I think BANNER recognition should be on TOTAL VOTES by established members, and after receiving X amount of votes, the item(s) would make BANNER. Of course, this is my opinion, and we all know what opinions are like.
Breezie

Well said Breezie.
You too have been a fantastic help here on Tnet IDing mystery items for people. I'm really surprised you Sambo pistol never made it up top either. It's not like we see those dug every day.
-MM-

Thanks MM for the kind words and support. Hopefully those who post on the WII forum don't think I've run away; I'll be back after things settle down at home/shop. As far as SAMBO is concerned, I'm clueless too on that one, but I think the problem was I found it only a short time after my Trade Bracelet made the banner. At any rate, I don't want to take any thunder away from BCH finds . . .it would be nice for them to be on top for everyone to see. . ..after all, it was moved to BEST FINDS. Whether they make the top or not BCH will know it was his BEST finds (so far), and many others feel the same way.
Breezie

 

[birdman]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

The stories that little purse has to tell. Great save and thanks for sharing!!

 

[birdman]

Re: Lost CSN keepsakes

Glad they turned up safe and sound! I had a large coin collection from my childhood that has disappeared from my parrents house... I found a cach of coins when I was 13 and they are all gone. Pretty sure the ex brother in law took them ... I would love for him to get hit by a bus.

 

[g-olden years]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

Wonderful saga! And a special historical find with buttons, beloved's hair and intact old purse.

Just as another poster advised, at first I thought you should sell some buttons and buy a new computer to replace your expiring computer --- but actually there's probably nothing wrong with your computer --- you just need to open it up and take out all the old coins and other goodies you've been hiding in there for years! Then she'll fire up every time! lol Andi

 

[HISPAN]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

nice buttons

 

[HISPAN]

Re: Lost CSN keepsakes

hi found and took pictures ... I saw it in another post .

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

BigCypressHunter, I just found your PM a few minutes ago, because I haven't logged on to TN since about Nov. 17th. I was getting ready to set up at the big Richmond civil war show, at it for 3 days, and then "recuperating" from it.

About your questions:
The purse appears to be from the 2nd half of the 1800s. Could be close to 1850, and could be close to 1900.

It may have been used as a civil war soldier's "housewife" ...but the soldier would carry spare buttons for his uniform, which would be all the same kind of button, not an assortment of State Seal, Artillery, and US Navy buttons. I think it is a postwar collection owned by a Confederate civil war veteran, or perhaps one of his immediate descendants, such as a daughter. For example, a CW veteran's daughter could have lived long enough to have passed away in recent years, with the purse-&-buttons being discarded at that time by an un-interested heir of the daughter.

All I can say about the human hair saved in the purse it that I notice it shows a mix of blond-brown-ish and gray hairs, so it is probably from a person in his/her 50s or 60s. DNA-testing would at least tell you whether it is from a male or a female.

BCH, I realize you already know some of the info which follows. I'm just including it here because I'm always mindful that other readers of these posts do not already know all the info.

According to their backmarks, the Virginia State Seal buttons date from before the civil war. The "rmdc" (raised-mark [in a] depressed-channel)Scovills & Co. backmark dates from the very-early 1830s to 1850. The "rmdc" Canfield backmark dates from 1834 to the late 1850s. I can be a bit more specific than just giving you the backmark buttons' date-ranges. Your VA with the "raised sword" (Albert button-book VA7) is from the 1840s, and your "sword down" VA (Albert book VA13) is from the 1850s. That being said, we relic-diggers frequently find Virginia buttons with those same pre-war "rmdc" backmarks at batllefields and wartime military camsites, so we know with certainty that many Virginia Confederate soldiers wore those prewar-manufactured buttons on their uniforms during the war.

The CS Navy button made by Firmin has been reproduced several times since 1865, but your button's exact backmark shows it is an 1861-to-1865 Original one ...not a postwar "restrike," nor a Reproduction. I estimate its current market-value to be at least $1500.

Your copper-faced iron-backed "Block-letter A" button is a Confederate Artillery button, manufactured in the Confederacy during the war. It is the most-common EXCAVATED version of Confederate Artillry button, but it is very rare in non-excavated condition. Because sheet-brass was scarce in the wartime South from mid-1862 to the end of the war in 1865, your Southern-manufactured Artillery button's face was made from sheet-copper, with a sheet-iron back. This particular type has also been reproduced, but the IRON-backed Reproductions do not have the two circles of dots on the back. Being in "pristine" non-excavated condition, your ironbacked Confederate Artillery button's current market-value is approximately $700-850.

Congratulations!

 

[hikeinmts]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

Thanks for submitting this fantastic story......of a fantastic find.
One of a kind, for sure. Whose hair, I'm wondering. If only that little purse could talk.
The hair might date back after the Civil War......who knows those kinds of things.
I'm thinking.....could you get someone to run a DNA test on the hair? If, for some unknown reason, one of
the person's kin has had their DNA tested, maybe it would show up......worth a try, maybe.
Keep us posted on what the final apprasal on the buttons/purse is, please. And, final price, if you sell them.
Happy THing.....

 

[Lanny in AB]

Re: CW Housewife Lost, Found, Lost, and Found Again Today

Extra cool story and find!

All the best,

Lanny