Must be spoon month!!

SC Keith · Dec 15, 2010

I went to an early site last week and hunted the muck and mud to recover this rat-tail pewter spoon. According to my research it's called the "wavy end" style, and dates to the early 1700s. I always enjoy finding anything colonial, so thanks for looking!
Keith

Kirk PA · Dec 15, 2010

Gold, Keith, Gold! :headbang:

Now that is what I call Colonial treasure hunting, my friend. SC is "Top Dog" for Colonial. :notworthy:

Kirk

cntrydncr1 · Dec 15, 2010

very nice find!

Steve in PA · Dec 15, 2010

That mud & muck you hunt in is very kind to pewter relics. That is a great example of a early 18th century rat tail spoon. They are very hard to find in one piece. I have been lucky enough to find one intact rat tail pewter spoon here in Pennsylvania. I can't count the broken pewter spoons I have found!

55th Massachusetts · Dec 15, 2010

Damn! Those are so hard to find whole if not impossible!! Beautiful!!!

You flat out can find the most magnificent Colonial artifacts!!
REB

Woodland Detectors · Dec 15, 2010

Mud and muck, as bad as last year too?

It's the time though. Gotta git it when the gittins good right?

Nice relic!

SC Keith · Dec 15, 2010

Steve in PA said:
That mud & muck you hunt in is very kind to pewter relics. That is a great example of a early 18th century rat tail spoon. They are very hard to find in one piece. I have been lucky enough to find one intact rat tail pewter spoon here in Pennsylvania. I can't count the broken pewter spoons I have found!

Thanks Steve!

55th Massachusetts said:
Damn! Those are so hard to find whole if not impossible!! Beautiful!!!

You flat out can find the most magnificent Colonial artifacts!!
REB

Thanks REB!

Woodland Detectors 4-H said:
Mud and muck, as bad as last year too?

It's the time though. Gotta git it when the gittins good right?

Nice relic!

Thanks!! You got that right!!!

ANTIQUARIAN · Dec 15, 2010

Very cool looking relic there Keith!

Are there any makers marks or initials on it? :icon_scratch:

Any chance you can post a picture of the other side? :icon_thumright:

Cheers,

Dave

SC Keith · Dec 15, 2010

Antiquarian said:
Very cool looking relic there Keith!
Are there any makers marks or initials on it?
Any chance you can post a picture of the other side?

Cheers,

Dave

Dave, In the first picture you can see three horizontal lines on the spoon back, where my index finger is. This is the mark of the owner of the spoon. Usually they will scrath their intials on the handles or bowl. There is no makers mark on this spoon. Here is a new pic of the front of spoon.

West Jersey Detecting · Dec 15, 2010

That spoon is a real beauty! I have found parts of many of them, but to find one intact is awesome!

SC Keith · Dec 15, 2010

Here is just a spoon piece ( broken) that shows an example of the owners initials (ID).
Also you can see "London" and the crowned "X", which means top quality pewter. This is one I would love to see intact.

Steve in PA · Dec 15, 2010

Keith, here is the complete one I found along with some of the typical pieces I find. It was over a foot deep and I had to hack my way through roots and rocks to get to it. It's a wonder I didn't break it with my shovel!
You are really fortunate to get one in that condition :thumbsup:

Mr Tuff · Dec 15, 2010

great looking oldie!!!! MR TUFF

Steve in PA · Dec 15, 2010

SC Keith said:
Here is just a spoon piece ( broken) that shows an example of the owners initials (ID).
Also you can see "London" and the crowned "X", which means top quality pewter. This is one I would love to see intact.

Keith, I think the initials on that spoon may actually be JD. I read somewhere that an "I" with a "-" through the middle was actually a "J" in the 1700's. Neat piece there, too bad it's not complete. I guess even the Top Quality pewter was subject to breakage.

BTW, I started a new spoon theme on the Best Finds forum....

steelheadwill · Dec 16, 2010

Lovely Complete Pewter!
Only fragments for me also, Great Dig! :thumbsup:

birdman · Dec 16, 2010

You can tell that that has some age on it .Awesome piece.

umrgolf · Dec 16, 2010

That is one awesome spoon Keith.. In the 14 months I hunted VA, I never came across more than a pewter spoon handle.. never even got a bowl.. keep showing us how sweet that sugar sand (muck in your case) can be

HEAVYMETALNUT · Dec 16, 2010

nice one Keith! spoons,spoons and more spoons! oh my!

SC Keith · Dec 16, 2010

Steve in PA said:
Keith, here is the complete one I found along with some of the typical pieces I find. It was over a foot deep and I had to hack my way through roots and rocks to get to it. It's a wonder I didn't break it with my shovel!
You are really fortunate to get one in that condition

Steve, your intact spoon dates to the same period as mine. Nice find, and they are hard to come by intact. Thanks for the tip on the colonial "J" and "I"-- I will check your spoon post on the other forum.

Mr Tuff said:
great looking oldie!!!! MR TUFF

Thanks!

steelheadwill said:
Lovely Complete Pewter!
Only fragments for me also, Great Dig!

Thanks!

birdman said:
You can tell that that has some age on it .Awesome piece.

Thanks birdman!

umrgolf said:
That is one awesome spoon Keith.. In the 14 months I hunted VA, I never came across more than a pewter spoon handle.. never even got a bowl.. keep showing us how sweet that sugar sand (muck in your case) can be

Thanks Jeff!