Engraved Colonial Patch Box Plate, US Calvary bit boss, 1803 LC

[OutdoorAdv]

I was able to spend another 9 hours in the field today with my Deus. I wasn't easy hunting as all these finds made me work pretty hard with another 30lbs+ of iron. This was my second trip out with the Deus. This time I tried some of the factory preset programs and managed to pick the DB LC and the Bit Boss from an area I have personally pounded with two other machines. Neither were deep (6 inches), but both were masked. The Deus Fast program made both of them show up with a smooth signal in two directions... pretty awesome but I still have a lot to learn with this new machine.

This is my second US Bit Boss and second 1803 LC from this same area. I also got the usual tombac and pewter buttons.



What made the hunt for me today was this musket patch box plate that I couldn't identify and posted a "what is it" with some great feedback. (Thank you OWK and deepsecrets for the ID) Its hand engraved with some arrows tied together with a bow (I thought it was a snake at first) and a design around the border. This thing was deep... so deep pinpointing was off by about 6 inches and I am very lucky I didn't nick it. This thing is awesome. What I like the most is that its done by hand and clearly a unique piece.



*Edit: after a little more tooth picking


I was lucky to get a date off the LC. Actually they only part I can clearly see is the "03".



Here are the two bit bosses together... the other bit boss I dug close by a few months ago. Different styles, perhaps there are a couple more there somewhere. (The other relics in this picture were also dug in the same area)






Not shown are a couple nice iron relics I dug... in queue to get into the electrolysis tank. A couple knives and a nice early-mid 1800's fork. But the best is an iron boot heal plate that I think will clean up nice.

 

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[Bill D. (VA)]

Great round 2 results with your new machine Brad. That patch box cover is a very unique find, and I'll have to admit I'd never heard of them until someone ID'd it for you. That bit boss, LC and drilled shank button are also nice finds. But you do have one problem - that new display of yours has become overpopulated and is in need of yet another overhaul . Good luck with that.

 

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[oxbowbarefoot]

Great finds. That plate is very impressive.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Looks Like OWK nailed it for you. When you sent me that pic yesterday, we knew it was old and hand engraved.
Bet that goes with the other gun parts you found..
You definitely find the coolest stuff.

Thanks a ton George. I was wondering about the trigger guard as it wasnt far from this plate. I'll grid that area with a couple coils and machines to see if there is maybe more down there. If so, they won't be easy targets to locate since I've already hit it hard. If another piece to a rifle, like a butt plate turns up, that would be awesome.

Who are we kidding, I can't compete with The Summer of George.... I'm just trying to keep up. Haha.

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Thanks a ton Dan! You and Bill were out for the same amount of time and got a LOT more finds. It was pretty boring at times, but I'm trying to get the hours under my belt with the Deus so I can be more proficient. So far, I am really liking the machine and look forward to a smaller coil on it.

Check this clip out... If this is a patch box cover, then I think it would have had a similar clipping mechanism as this one with just a post on it to keep it closed. The one end is beveled that would fit closely with the contour of the butt of a musket stock.

View attachment 1221668

Yea I'd say that's what it is. I ha e never seen that style of construction, but that's what she is...killer man. Should be banner and you need to go back and try and.find the rest.

 

[Dirtwisher]

Oh my, does it get any better than hand engraved oldness? Outstanding recovery.

 

[cjon455]

Great pile of finds, you really cleaned house at that site!

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Great round 2 results with your new machine Brad. That patch box cover is a very unique find, and I'll have to admit I'd never heard of them until someone ID'd it for you. That bit boss, LC and drilled shank button are also nice finds. But you do have one problem - that new display of yours has become overpopulated and is in need of yet another overhaul . Good luck with that.

Thanks a ton Bill. I knew it looked old and cool, but had no clue what it was either. It cleaned up well and I'm really liking it a lot. I'll have to start having relic tryouts and the losers go into storage bins under my display case. Ha. I'm liking the Deus a lot so far and looking forward to a smaller coil, although the 11" has surprisingly good separation.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

PATCH BOX COVER FROM 1700S ERA ? DAMN SWEET DESIGN SCAWLED ON THE FACE OF IT . ADV THAT MUST BE A HECK OF A SPOT YOU ARE EXCAVATING , YOUR ONE LUCKY FELLA .

Thank you Sutphin!

That patch box plate is really great, as well as the rest of your digs from that site!

Thank you J. Cache! Its been an unbelievable year for me swinging at this place. Found some things that I never thought I would find.

Great finds. That plate is very impressive.

Thank you oxbow! I cant stop looking at it... makes me wonder if the rest of the brass that was around it was also engraved... maybe I can find that and answer that question. ha

Oh my, does it get any better than hand engraved oldness? Outstanding recovery.

No kidding, it really doesnt get much better than that. haha Thank you Dirtwisher!

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Yea I'd say that's what it is. I ha e never seen that style of construction, but that's what she is...killer man. Should be banner and you need to go back and try and.find the rest.

Thanks a ton Dan! I found this trigger guard about 20 yards away Trigger Guard Post. The trigger guard is broken, so I know there is at least the rest of that down there... but now that I know this is another piece of musket hardware, I am going to comb this area. That Springfield 1810 bayonet I dug last week was fitted to older .69 cal muskets for The War of 1812... the old stock muskets could have been surplus French muskets from the Revolutionary war that were being put back into service. I'd need to ID this plate farther though to match it to that... and being a custom piece, I doubt that will be possible. Most likely this plate is from a different musket than the bayonet. I'll let everyone know if something else musket related turns up.

Great pile of finds, you really cleaned house at that site!

Thank you Chris! Its been a ton of fun... keep thinking it cant get better and then something new turns up. Its slowed way down and the finds are very hard to come by now though.... still fun!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi Brad!

Sorry to be late to the party. I briefly saw these when you posted, just didn't have the time to comment.

This is a significant Colonial find and a beautiful hand engraved patch box plate. It's a rare find that in my estimation certainly deserves to be on the Banner--I am casting a Banner vote for it!

Congrats again on the stellar finds!!

 

[NEPADIGGER7]

Now that's some great funds right there! Bet that felt great after the hunt!

 

[Steve in PA]

Love that patch box cover and the DB LC. The bit boss is a nice find as well. Good hunt

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

I'm not sure if I voted BANNER on this or not when I first saw it. I'm sending in my nomination now in case I didn't.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Hi Brad!

Sorry to be late to the party. I briefly saw these when you posted, just didn't have the time to comment.

This is a significant Colonial find and a beautiful hand engraved patch box plate. It's a rare find that in my estimation certainly deserves to be on the Banner--I am casting a Banner vote for it!

Congrats again on the stellar finds!!

Erik, Thanks a ton! It was a very unexpected find at the limits of my machine and somehow I got my coil over it just right. I really appreciate the vote.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Now that's some great funds right there! Bet that felt great after the hunt!

Thank you! It sure did... well... not until I knew what it was I had no clue what I had found until OWK IDed it in a what-is-it... then it was exciting.

Brad

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Love that patch box cover and the DB LC. The bit boss is a nice find as well. Good hunt

Thank you Steve! I was lucky I could get the "03" off that DB LC. Some parts are nice and green, but most have those crusty vergigris tumors... those draped bust varieties seem to corrode pretty bad. The Bit Boss was a huge surprise as I was expecting iron and not seeing that thing stuck to the bottom of the plug. ha

 

[OutdoorAdv]

I'm not sure if I voted BANNER on this or not when I first saw it. I'm sending in my nomination now in case I didn't.

Thanks a ton for the vote Oxbow. I really appreciate it.

Brad

 

[OutdoorAdv]

I mentioned in my original post that I found some iron keepers. Well, they are finished being processed and I wanted to share them here. It always takes me a few days to a week to process the iron and sometimes the iron turns out to be some of the best stuff.

The boot heal plate came out nice. The knife actually has something stamped on it. I have a few forks from this location and this is the most complete one I've gotten so far. It came from a deep hole next to the oil lamp collar. Lots of other odds and ends... this is only the more interesting iron that I dug on this trip.

 

[Vino]

Man do you make iron look so good.. Thanks for posting that.

 

[Mach1Pilot]

I'd say you are taking to that new Deus real quick! That big brass no doubt was very welcome when it showed up in the hole- you did very well on this hunt!