Today in a smokin privy or "Smokin in the boys room"

[halfdime]

Today in a smokin' privy or "Smokin' in the boy's room"

In addition to some interesting bottles, today I found a first for me in a small privy: the business end of some clay pipes. Is anyone familiar with these, and what did they use to get the smoke from the bowl to their mouth? Something biodegradable? Wood? All five of these were found without any hint of a stem.

Pictures of the better bottles today are in the Bottles and Glass section.

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Maybe made and then discarded before they attached the stem.

Cool Dig !!

Keep @ it and HH !!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

I'm unloading the detectors and starting privy hunting!

 

[Argentium]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Great finds ! I am no expert , but I'm guessing those are at least 150 years old - Argentium.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Wonderful finds!!! Congrats!

 

[teleman 2525]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

very neat finds

 

[Michiganne]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Very cool. Congrats on the nice pipe finds.

HH

 

[Frodov]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Maybe made and then discarded before they attached the stem.

Cool Dig !!

Keep @ it and HH !!

Stems were a separate part of those pipes. Often the stems would be made of a hollowed wooden dowel or a reed or even bone. Some were even metal, as in "pipe". The bowls were screwed onto the end of these "pipes" or reeds or tubes. If you've never smoked a pipe, perhaps you've seen someone who does or has in the past. Do you recall them "knocking" out or emptying the bowl to refill for a fresh smoke? Perhaps rapping or tapping the bowl against a solid surface like the side of an ashtray or the bottom of a shoe or obviously in this case the edge of the privy "seat". More than likely these bowls came off the end of their stems and took a rather nasty plunge to rest for decades and possibly century(s) to be retrieved by some daring privy digging treasure hunter. As these clay bowls were not terribly expensive to begin with, I can see why someone who had just lost them would be inclined NOT to go trying to retrieve them from their new resting place. Hey.. if worse came to worse and they were just absolutely dying from a nicotine fit... a hollowed out corn cob jammed onto the end of their "stem" would serve the purpose of the clay bowl in a pinch.
Apparently from the number of the bowls found in this particular privy, the previous owner of these bowls was either a heavy smoker to begin with and/or not particularly careful with his/her maintenance of their smoking gear.... or just not very adept at securing the "business end" of their pipe to their stems. Can you imagine the thoughts or possibly the words that sprang to that person's lips as he/she lost yet ANOTHER bowl down the old stinky hole? "Son of a..... Not again! Da..... it all!"

Another Corncob pipe for a while... <laughing> Bear in mind too... this is rich!... Most commonly used uhh... "wiping material" at this time would NOT have been the old Sears Roebuck Catalogue.... Nope.. it was the lowly old tried and true trusty corn cob! NOW! Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it! <laughing>

~HAPPY HUNTING~


Frodov

 

[halfdime]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Thanks for the history lesson, Frodov! You know, I've never found an ounce of corncob in a privy; wonder if they all decomposed. I find other "plant" matter that has survived, mostly seeds.

 

[Indiana Digger]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Thanks for the history lesson, Frodov! You know, I've never found an ounce of corncob in a privy; wonder if they all decomposed. I find other "plant" matter that has survived, mostly seeds.

Sounds like a case for the new TV series, "Outhouse CSI"!


~Indiana Digger~

 

[thrillathahunt]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

"I find other "plant" matter that has survived, mostly seeds"

Now that is just downright gross!

 

[halfdime]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

No, seriously ; I've found peach seeds, grape and blackberry seeds and who knows what else. I think the grape and blackberry seeds were from making jelly or some other canning activity. I hope they were, though blackberry seeds aren't as tough to pass as grape seeds. So I've heard.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Frodov, Funniest and most interesting thing I've read in a long time!! They really wiped with corn cobs With or without the kernels in place?

Maybe made and then discarded before they attached the stem.

Cool Dig !!

Keep @ it and HH !!

Stems were a separate part of those pipes. Often the stems would be made of a hollowed wooden dowel or a reed or even bone. Some were even metal, as in "pipe". The bowls were screwed onto the end of these "pipes" or reeds or tubes. If you've never smoked a pipe, perhaps you've seen someone who does or has in the past. Do you recall them "knocking" out or emptying the bowl to refill for a fresh smoke? Perhaps rapping or tapping the bowl against a solid surface like the side of an ashtray or the bottom of a shoe or obviously in this case the edge of the privy "seat". More than likely these bowls came off the end of their stems and took a rather nasty plunge to rest for decades and possibly century(s) to be retrieved by some daring privy digging treasure hunter. As these clay bowls were not terribly expensive to begin with, I can see why someone who had just lost them would be inclined NOT to go trying to retrieve them from their new resting place. Hey.. if worse came to worse and they were just absolutely dying from a nicotine fit... a hollowed out corn cob jammed onto the end of their "stem" would serve the purpose of the clay bowl in a pinch.
Apparently from the number of the bowls found in this particular privy, the previous owner of these bowls was either a heavy smoker to begin with and/or not particularly careful with his/her maintenance of their smoking gear.... or just not very adept at securing the "business end" of their pipe to their stems. Can you imagine the thoughts or possibly the words that sprang to that person's lips as he/she lost yet ANOTHER bowl down the old stinky hole? "Son of a..... Not again! Da..... it all!"

Another Corncob pipe for a while... <laughing> Bear in mind too... this is rich!... Most commonly used uhh... "wiping material" at this time would NOT have been the old Sears Roebuck Catalogue.... Nope.. it was the lowly old tried and true trusty corn cob! NOW! Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it! <laughing>

~HAPPY HUNTING~


Frodov

 

[Mr Tuff]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

neat pipes!!! MR TUFF

 

[Frodov]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Frodov, Funniest and most interesting thing I've read in a long time!! They really wiped with corn cobs With or without the kernels in place?

Maybe made and then discarded before they attached the stem.

Cool Dig !!

Keep @ it and HH !!

Stems were a separate part of those pipes. Often the stems would be made of a hollowed wooden dowel or a reed or even bone. Some were even metal, as in "pipe". The bowls were screwed onto the end of these "pipes" or reeds or tubes. If you've never smoked a pipe, perhaps you've seen someone who does or has in the past. Do you recall them "knocking" out or emptying the bowl to refill for a fresh smoke? Perhaps rapping or tapping the bowl against a solid surface like the side of an ashtray or the bottom of a shoe or obviously in this case the edge of the privy "seat". More than likely these bowls came off the end of their stems and took a rather nasty plunge to rest for decades and possibly century(s) to be retrieved by some daring privy digging treasure hunter. As these clay bowls were not terribly expensive to begin with, I can see why someone who had just lost them would be inclined NOT to go trying to retrieve them from their new resting place. Hey.. if worse came to worse and they were just absolutely dying from a nicotine fit... a hollowed out corn cob jammed onto the end of their "stem" would serve the purpose of the clay bowl in a pinch.
Apparently from the number of the bowls found in this particular privy, the previous owner of these bowls was either a heavy smoker to begin with and/or not particularly careful with his/her maintenance of their smoking gear.... or just not very adept at securing the "business end" of their pipe to their stems. Can you imagine the thoughts or possibly the words that sprang to that person's lips as he/she lost yet ANOTHER bowl down the old stinky hole? "Son of a..... Not again! Da..... it all!"

Another Corncob pipe for a while... <laughing> Bear in mind too... this is rich!... Most commonly used uhh... "wiping material" at this time would NOT have been the old Sears Roebuck Catalogue.... Nope.. it was the lowly old tried and true trusty corn cob! NOW! Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it! <laughing>

~HAPPY HUNTING~


Frodov

Yup, they sure did. Corn cobs were plentiful and well.. free. They would have been used WITHOUT the kernels of course. Now most people today think of corn cobs as what's left after you eat "corn on the cob". While those leftovers may well have been used as well, your wiper arrived by other means. After your corn has ripened, matured and dried out on the stalk, it would be harvested and "hulled". In other words the kernels would have been removed from the cobs to be stored until used for whatever purposed it was intended for. The cobs on the other hand would be gathered up and stored "dry" mostly, but some would be softened in water then dried and stored in the privy for it's "End Use". It was said to be something of an art to "make a good cob", a Much appreciated skill to turn out a softer stalk if you know what I mean. To be honest I've never actually used one of these corny carnations in the service of my um Hygene. But I'm certain that it would be highly more favorable a choice than say your own left hand. <shuddering> Now don't that make you want to wash your hands?! ANyone want to visit THOSE good ol' days?

~HAPPY HUNTING~

Frodov

 

[teverly]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

privies were used as trah recepticles also..anytime they did want or no longer needed stuff down the pit it would go...
Dug my 1st one last year and the person that we dug with said the layer you are talking about s called the seed layer for that very reason..that is also wher you should be finding the good stuff!!
Nice digs!!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Frodov, LOL!!! So were they used wet or dried (ouch!) Wow - a very "ico(r)noclastic" post -- I will never again look at corn on the cob in the same light! So, just out of curiosity, when was toilette paper invented and what did say the Romans, Vikings, Celtics, and Ancient Egyptians use? Inquiring minds want to know!!

 

[halfdime]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

Poor Mr. Whipple, "Please don't squeeze the corncob!"

 

[cuzcosquirrel]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

I have a mid to late 1800's pipe bowl with a man's face on it from Horsetown, Ca. that is similar to those. I think I may have encountered those type in shards.

 

[birdman]

Re: Today in a smokin' privy

WAY COOL!! Awesome diggins.