paleomaxx
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- Aug 14, 2016
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Haven't posted in awhile, but I have been getting out. I've been chasing down some leads in an older part of this area and had some great luck finding colonial spots that have been completely lost to history. This particular site is right next to a stream that passes the center of the village and doesn't look like there should be anything, but I found a slope with a heavy scatter of colonial relics. I have a feeling that they're weathering out of the hill, but I haven't nailed down the exact source yet. I found four different dandy buttons all near the surface and one that's an absolute stunner!
The amount of gilt left on the basket weave is incredible and I usually don't see any gilt left on the dandy buttons! The other are pretty cool looking too and of course there were some newer tombac and brass buttons around:
The heavily gilt flat button has a plain front, but the back mark is "E.C. Delevan & Co." I did some research and he's actually a fairly famous individual. He made his fortune as a hardware importer into New York and eventually became involved in the temperance movement. He established a temperance hotel in Albany NY as well as produced an enormous quantity of anti-alcohol pamphlets for Union soldiers during the Civil War.
I can't find any other mentions of these buttons so they may have been only worn by workers of his company as opposed to a widely produced product. Definitely a cool piece to research though!
Plenty of the usual colonial bits including a batwing buckle, thimble, and part of what would have been a very nice looking Georgian shoe buckle. The brass square with the hooks I find at many of my colonial spots, but never on mid 19th century sites. I've always assumed that they were leather adornments for harnesses or other horse tack based on the cast hooks. Does anyone have a photo of one actually on an antique harness? I've always wondered precisely what their purpose was.
I did find two rings which is unusual.
I find the large brass wedding bands pretty often, but the delicate one seems like it had a stone set in it at one time and that's much more uncommon. The coolest find has to be this brass clock face though:
It was super deep, nearly 10 inches, and surrounded by old brick and square nails so I'm amazed the detector picked it up. I love the roman numerals and the brass held up pretty well in the ground too.
The very last dig of the day was a colonial copper that was thickly encrusted by dirt, but after some careful cleaning it turned out to be in great shape as well!
1730 King George II halfpenny!
Very old for this part of the State and in great shape so the perfect way to end the day!
Hopefully everyone is staying safe and still able to get outside at least for a little bit each day.
The amount of gilt left on the basket weave is incredible and I usually don't see any gilt left on the dandy buttons! The other are pretty cool looking too and of course there were some newer tombac and brass buttons around:
The heavily gilt flat button has a plain front, but the back mark is "E.C. Delevan & Co." I did some research and he's actually a fairly famous individual. He made his fortune as a hardware importer into New York and eventually became involved in the temperance movement. He established a temperance hotel in Albany NY as well as produced an enormous quantity of anti-alcohol pamphlets for Union soldiers during the Civil War.
I can't find any other mentions of these buttons so they may have been only worn by workers of his company as opposed to a widely produced product. Definitely a cool piece to research though!
Plenty of the usual colonial bits including a batwing buckle, thimble, and part of what would have been a very nice looking Georgian shoe buckle. The brass square with the hooks I find at many of my colonial spots, but never on mid 19th century sites. I've always assumed that they were leather adornments for harnesses or other horse tack based on the cast hooks. Does anyone have a photo of one actually on an antique harness? I've always wondered precisely what their purpose was.
I did find two rings which is unusual.
I find the large brass wedding bands pretty often, but the delicate one seems like it had a stone set in it at one time and that's much more uncommon. The coolest find has to be this brass clock face though:
It was super deep, nearly 10 inches, and surrounded by old brick and square nails so I'm amazed the detector picked it up. I love the roman numerals and the brass held up pretty well in the ground too.
The very last dig of the day was a colonial copper that was thickly encrusted by dirt, but after some careful cleaning it turned out to be in great shape as well!
1730 King George II halfpenny!
Very old for this part of the State and in great shape so the perfect way to end the day! Hopefully everyone is staying safe and still able to get outside at least for a little bit each day.
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