Colonial HAIR CARE in the mud

Patriot Relics · Sep 7, 2015

Hey guys,

Returned to my British ferry site to hit the low tide this morning and after getting skunked, was surprised to see a round piece of wood sticking out of the mud. Honestly, I am not sure why I picked it up...just didn't want to go home empty handed and figured why not. When I flipped it over I could see multiple drilled holes at random intervals- certainly not machine made but could a wooden hair brush survive 200 years? After doing a bit of research this is the closet reference I can find- a 1600s era hair brush excavated from Fort William Henry in Maine. Crazy to think of who might have been holding this last. After getting it home I bubbled away the water and sealed it with hot paraffin wax. Went out for a second hunt at another later site and did manage a few tomac buttons and copper boot taps. Thanks for looking

Vino · Sep 7, 2015

Thats so cool Jon.
That will look great in a display case.
And of course you are the button man!

Patriot Relics · Sep 7, 2015

Vino said:
Thats so cool Jon.
That will look great in a display case.
And of course you are the button man!

Thanks George, I refuse to end a hunt until I have at least 1 flat button...as it was I think found the remnants of an old shirt (all 4 of the small buttons were within 5 feet of each other)

sutphin · Sep 7, 2015

AIRPOWER THAT BRUSH IS BONE , CORRECT. DANG YOU LUCKY DOG MAN YOU FIND SOME INTERESTING STUFF.

Patriot Relics · Sep 7, 2015

sutphin said:
AIRPOWER THAT BRUSH IS BONE , CORRECT. DANG YOU LUCKY DOG MAN YOU FIND SOME INTERESTING STUFF.

Thanks sutphin, the reference listed 3rd is bone and was recovered in maine- the one I recovered is made of wood.

Bill D. (VA) · Sep 7, 2015

That is a very unique find, and one I have never recovered after digging many early pits. For some reason I would lean toward dating it to the 1700s, but guess it depends on the context in which it was found. I know you've found 1600s artifacts at this site so I guess it could be from that period as well.

Vino · Sep 7, 2015

Bill D. (VA) said:
That is a very unique find, and one I have never recovered after digging many early pits. For some reason I would lean toward dating it to the 1700s, but guess it depends on the context in which it was found. I know you've found 1600s artifacts at this site so I guess it could be from that period as well.

I think being in the water the whole time saved this piece. If it was in a pit it would be gone

?

Patriot Relics · Sep 7, 2015

Bill D. (VA) said:
That is a very unique find, and one I have never recovered after digging many early pits. For some reason I would lean toward dating it to the 1700s, but guess it depends on the context in which it was found. I know you've found 1600s artifacts at this site so I guess it could be from that period as well.

Hey Bill, you are probably correct regarding that time period as the earliest pewters date the site to the early 1700s. I was just going off the information provided on the reference picture online. I was terrified after I pulled it out of the water that it would disintegrate given that it was very soft and saturated with water. Got it home and used a toothpick to carefully remove the mud from each drill hole- after which I boiled away the water in liquid paraffin. It's nice and stable now :laughing7: