marking my artifacts

[trevmma]

well i dont have hand writing like jon dickson but, but it will get better as my collection grows, lol.
i have tons more, cant wait to catch up so i can take my time and do each one right. just logging them by number and making a book catolog where, when (lol), what and flint type. props to u guys who have done this. its very time comsuming. but here some pics of the journey so far, p.s. check out my wife, she loves me, yeah right she wants me to sell them all, lol. i think she is writing a price on there, lol

 

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[mrs.oroblanco]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You are hurting me - seeing you write on your things!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have a nice case, and what looks like some good foam there - I take a piece of glass, engrave on the glass what the item it, and make a slit in the foam, and slip it (the glass) into it - engraving just clears above the foam, and doesn't devalue the collection, and you can still close the top (if you have one).

We don't have the amount of arrowheads that you have there, but we do have some, and quite a few old, archaic relics - and that's what we do. My personal favorite is a langtree point - and I would never write on it.


Beth

 

[buzzgator]

Pretty sure he put fingernail polish on first then wrote on that. The polish is easily removed if for sum reason u would want to. White out is also used by sum and it to comes off easily.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

It still hurts me to see that......................................just my opinion. To get nail polish off take acetone. I just would not write anything on an arrowhead or any other relic. Especially such a NICE collection.

Beth

 

[montepollock]

Thats a fine collection.
I,m a relic hunter and whenever size of object permits I use whiteout and felt tip to mark.
then the details of find location etc in a spiral notebook.
To me those details are as valuable,if not more valuable than the object.
I,m in it for the history,and if i alone know history of find it becomes a "paperweight"in anyone elses hands.
HH,Mont

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

We do the notebook thing, too - I think its a great idea. Someday, I hope my kids actually know what they have when I'm not here anymore.

But, every one of my relics has its spot, and its description, and none of them is actually written on.

Beth

 

[buzzgator]

Marking and cataloging them will not hurt the value just the oposite it provides provenance. I understand ur idea but what if your frame was to drop and the engraved glass broke? And just as well the notebook burnt or was damaged by flood or other disaster? I plan to log mine and am going to use the net as well as notebook for a back up. Sorry about getting off topic with ur post Trev, beautiful artifacts and good job with cataloging them!

 

[joshuaream]

We do the notebook thing, too - I think its a great idea. Someday, I hope my kids actually know what they have when I'm not here anymore.

But, every one of my relics has its spot, and its description, and none of them is actually written on.

Beth

Beth, if your system can keep the relics and information together and correct after you are gone, I believe you'll be the first person in history to do so...

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Well, I have had the ultimate happen - 10:04 am, May 23, 1989, our house burned down to the ground. (not that I can remember it exactly

When that happens, forget about your coins, your arrowheads, your relics, your guns, and anything else that can be melted - cause it melts. Oh, and forget your safe, too - unless you have a specific type. Because, even if it doesn't burn - it bakes everything to a nice brown color, which can be seen, but not touched. (papers fall apart).

So, the "what-if's" are kind of moot - however, nail polish IS quite flammable, so, I guess marking them could burn off. Gee, I wonder if arrowheads split and cracked in heat (yes they do).

As far as keeping them straight - hmmpf - even I cannot remember them all on site. (the specifics), and, probably, my kids will just pick a few and sell the rest.

Not to mention, all arrowheads can break - what if the case drops and the arrowheads break? Its 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of the other, imo.

I just use the museum method - not writing on them. I figure they must do it for a reason, and it just looks so neat when they are in the display case.

It's just my opinion, don't understand why its a big issue for anyone but me, seeing that just gives me the feeling of fingernails raking across a blackboard.

I wouldn't write on my coins, on wouldn't write on my relics, I wouldn't write on any collectible.

Beth

 

[trevmma]

Well I'm not in it for the money, just the history. The only part that sucks about writing on them is having to take it off when a lay the artifacts back out in a field when I'm older to tease a kid,lol. My friend was actually in a fire and his points survived but are now stained I'm sure tree frogs technique could even get the stain out. I find it I'm amazement that people are into the and cherish artifacts so much that they take the time to do this, thanks anyone

 

[trevmma]

Thanks everyone

 

[buzzgator]

I apologize Beth. I hadnt intended to make a big issue of it was just giving my opinion on it, and I assumed museum pieces were marked just on the side unseen. guess I was wrong. Ya know what they say about assumeing!

 

[Twitch]

For what it's worth I don't write on them either. I think it's a misconception that there is any value at all in retaining information by doing so. What do you write on the pieces? Does anyone out there write our 3 digits of latitude and longitude information on their points? No? Most people write an abreviated site descriptor and a catelog number on them at best. So the 'information' is still contained in the catelog not on the point. If the points are stolen or you die suddenly and the new owner does not have the catelog or know or care to look at it the information is lost. To write 'Pike Co IL' on a point is meaningless. To think it has added any 'information' to an artifact is, I think, incorrect.

 

[buzzgator]

Why would you not catalog them? I dont see where a number on a piece would detract from its value. I want to do it not only for any historical value but for use as a personal reference where I can look back and see what each site has produced. As far as putting county state date on a point no, and besides my new phone has a arrowhead app that saves lat/long when I take my insitu and it can then be dled to my pc. I record my finds for me not for anyone else.

 

[trevmma]

Id say I do it out of respect for the point and love of knowing where it came from, I don't plan on selling my points,lol so I don't care if it depreciates the value. One day some young buck will get my collection and continue on my sites that I log. U must not have that massive of a collection because sooner or later u will forget where u found everypoint. But not me I have them all numbered and logged in a book, so when I want to know where that archaic site is that I hunted 18 years ago. Bam I got it, and driving directions to field, but overall I feel more like passionate collected now.

 

[trevmma]

I also plan on the log book to go with my collection and for my points never to be stolen, what can I say I'm a optimist,lol