Detecting, Privy Digging, and Colonial Knee Buckles

[BuckleBoy]

Hello All,

I wanted to share the last week with you. Been busy lately...

First off, here are the knee buckles that I dug with Hill Billy:







We have been doing some privy digs, with the help of Tnet member Nisroc. This one was a brickliner, close to 9 feet deep, and had some hinge mold and applied top bottles, a few embossed ones, and lots of slicks. Here are some photos:

























Here is some of what I kept after splitting the finds between us and the property owner. Some interesting bottles, a figurine (that I'd love to know more about), a clay pipe, a brooch with a brass frame, and some great marbles:























MORE PHOTOS BELOW:

 

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[BuckleBoy]

And then here are the photos of the most recent hunt. The site was old, as evidenced by the flat buttons and pewter spoon pieces. Only coin finds were an IH and a silver quarter. I like the heel plate, and it was a pretty spot to swing a detector for a while...

 

[Kirk PA]

A classic BuckleBoy post! Those knee buckles are definitely high on my list. Good luck at your site tomorrow. You should be digging Colonial coppers and Seated silvers out the yang. Farewell to KY, Buck! Bring on LA!

Kirk

 

[dwayne sueno]

great post, Buckles.
Looks like two fun outings, with some nice stuff to show for them.
congrats!

 

[creeper71]

alot of work for some more common bottles ..huh Buckles? really nice finds tho... the woman figure was from the privy?

 

[Kyle PA]

Buck, the privy dig coughed up some nice keepers. I always wonder what the privies at our earliest sites would give up? I bet you're wondering the same now? I bet you will get into some good privy digs down in the deep south!

Good luck on your hunt tomorrow! Your farewell hunt in Old Kentucky is going to be one you'll never forget!

 

[tigerbeetle]

Privy diving is a blast -- but not an easy pastime to explain to the uninitiated. You sure went the proper-permission route on that dig. I like that split-the-findings concept. I have to admit I never found a living breathing gal in any of the privies I’ve dug.

By the by, I've dug many an outhouse hole and virtually everyone also had odd items that seemed way out of place, like your statuette. Fun shot: The item was a gift that mom hated the hell outta – and deep-sixed it. Or, maybe dad bought it and had a spat with mom and dumped it -- so to speak. Just as possible: A gift was hidden where it wouldn’t be found prior to presentation – and fell into that black hole of irretrievability. Might it have been just a touch of hominess in an otherwise dank environment, until it got nudged into the muck? I saw an old photo of an outhouse with windows, curtains and a flower vase on a sill within. By the by, I’ve been told if you listen to such statuettes late at night, they offer the story – of course, that was a paranormal group talking that, uh, muck.

Odd angle: The bottles and pottery shards you dug are roughly early-1900s but the marbles date from an entirely different era. Maybe they were kept in the family until the kids grew up and were then loosed into the loo – or might they have been within older fill material moved as the privy was being built?

 

[shaun7]

That digging looks like something I could do!

The buckles are really nice

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

Fantastic finds, as usual, but what I'm really concerned about is the lovely lady stuck in the hole you dug. Our state has a "catch and release" attitude , what are your States' rules and regulations pertaining to this manner?
Carl

 

[BuckleBoy]

A classic BuckleBoy post! Those knee buckles are definitely high on my list. Good luck at your site tomorrow. You should be digging Colonial coppers and Seated silvers out the yang. Farewell to KY, Buck! Bring on LA!

Kirk

My fingers are crossed on tomorrow. Good karma and a returned ring has gotten us on the spot. Now good karma needs to make certain that there are some goodies for us to find.

great post, Buckles.
Looks like two fun outings, with some nice stuff to show for them.
congrats!

Thanks, dwayne! Lots of fun.

alot of work for some more common bottles ..huh Buckles? really nice finds tho... the woman figure was from the privy?

How many privies have you dug? Yes, a lot of work for some common bottles--but you never, Ever know what will be down in a privy. Yes, the figurine was in the privy as well.

Buck, the privy dig coughed up some nice keepers. I always wonder what the privies at our earliest sites would give up? I bet you're wondering the same now? I bet you will get into some good privy digs down in the deep south!

Good luck on your hunt tomorrow! Your farewell hunt in Old Kentucky is going to be one you'll never forget!

Kyle,

Most of the very early spots here were rural, and any privy digger will tell you that most of the rural spots suck--from finding the privies to seeing what is down there. In many cases, they can't be located--and when you do find one, you realize that a lot of the glassware was simply tossed downhill...

Privy diving is a blast -- but not an easy pastime to explain to the uninitiated. You sure went the proper-permission route on that dig. I like that split-the-findings concept. I have to admit I never found a living breathing gal in any of the privies I’ve dug.

By the by, I've dug many an outhouse hole and virtually everyone also had odd items that seemed way out of place, like your statuette. Fun shot: The item was a gift that mom hated the hell outta – and deep-sixed it. Or, maybe dad bought it and had a spat with mom and dumped it -- so to speak. Just as possible: A gift was hidden where it wouldn’t be found prior to presentation – and fell into that black hole of irretrievability. Might it have been just a touch of hominess in an otherwise dank environment, until it got nudged into the muck? I saw an old photo of an outhouse with windows, curtains and a flower vase on a sill within. By the by, I’ve been told if you listen to such statuettes late at night, they offer the story – of course, that was a paranormal group talking that, uh, muck.

Odd angle: The bottles and pottery shards you dug are roughly early-1900s but the marbles date from an entirely different era. Maybe they were kept in the family until the kids grew up and were then loosed into the loo – or might they have been within older fill material moved as the privy was being built?

I suspected that the marbles were a tad earlier, since they were mainly Bennies. Thanks for the additional info! We found lots of interesting items down there. Lots of lead crystal--a beautiful pitcher, a punch bowl and glasses, etc... lots of broken oil lantern tops, and shoes. :P Rusted iron crappe, and that brooch I found. At the time, I wondered if the figurine was stolen by a kid and tossed down to avoid being caught. 8)

That digging looks like something I could do!

The buckles are really nice

Great to hear from you, shaun! It's another world 9 feet down. Nice bulla in your avatar! That's a killer find.


-Buckles

 

[Gator-Flea]

Super finds Buckleboy, looks like some good fun..

 

[umrgolf]

Nice digging BB... Looking forward to seeing the final hoorah for the complete Iron Brigade After hearing about the history behind the site, I imagine there will be many nice things found Thanks for all of your help over the last few months.. Always appreciated, Jeff

 

[Dman]

Those are some great finds. The privy digging looks interesting.
Dman

 

[Mr Tuff]

Awesome hunt on all fronts MR TUFF

 

[RPG]

COOL Post BB Was wondering what happened to ya Sorry to hear your leaving KY, but I'm Sure you will do Excellent down there once you get settled in Mike......

No need to worry, I have big plans for BB over the next couple of months.

Good dig Will. I like it all, but those knee buckles are the best.

See ya soon.

 

[Deepdiger60]

Those are good finds those knee buckles are awesome in great shape ,the privy hole we located in Colonial field 3 i aint diggin it get some young blood to do it Good hunt Dd60

 

[Hill Billy]

Buck... I can't wait for tomorrow. You have been the best friend a friend could have. I think back on the day that I met you. Was me and KFB hunting my family farm, when he said I have someone I'd like you to meet. Of course I said fine, and the next time KFB visited, we met. We have hunted hard since then, and I will never forget the times we've shared. I'm glad we finally got on a privy dig that we actually found some bottles. Yeh they weren't as old as we'd like but it was still fun. I'm sorry tomorrow will be our last hunt for some time together, but it will be remembered. To have KFB join us will be the icing on the day, considering he introduced us. Of course I can't leave out digger girl, the only female I know who like's to dig in chit. She's a keeper Cheers to tomorrows digs and may your hunts down south bring you many more friendships.

Hill

 

[willie d]

That figurine is exquisite considering where it was found.

Nice digs

 

[teleman 2525]

nice potty digs

 

[detectahead]

I.ve always wanted to do a privy dig! Can't wait to see thr rest! That figurine is fantastic!