William-NM
New member
Found a few interesting keepers this week. The monsoons arrived promptly on July 1 and after a few days of light afternoon showers, since July 4th, it's been a sunny morning, clouding up around 1:30 p.m., followed by an hour of thunder-cracking monsoon rains before clearing up. I got a couple of free showers, but hunted through through them, appreciating the water-tightness of my AT!
Here's an 1861 Brass/Bronze plaque (5 1/2" wide) from an early fireproof safe/vault. It was made by Lewis Lillie, who was an interesting man. He was elected Colonel in the militia before he was 21 back in Vermont. He later owned and operated several stage routes and inns in the area. In 1846, he sold his operation and lands and moved to Troy, New York. He established a large wholesale and retail grocery business. He focused on bringing Western products back East. The business eventually failed, leaving him heavily in debt. He managed to repay all his creditors, and though he had no background in engineering or mechanics, became interested in creating a burglar-proof lock. This led him to building bank safes. He created many innovations which he patented, such as casting the safe in one piece in a cold steel mold, referred to as 'chilled steel', which crystalized and hardened the steel. Safes had been made by joining plates with rivets, which could be drilled out by burglars. His business grew into an international operation, becoming the largest safe maker in the U.S. and perhaps the world before moving in 1865 to Mineral Vale, Pennsylvania, where he had bought the iron works.
It was an interesting find because it pre-dates the incorporation of the town by almost 10 years and was likely from one of the early local banks (which also had a very colorful history which I will save for another time, heh). It's a work of art in itself, with it's stylized deep relief design.
Here's pretty good soda bottle find - Orange Crush from circa 1930s. It's in good shape and has the tinted bottle with the message on the back that it is to protect the 'delicate fruit flavor from the harmful effects of light', heh. It was bottled at Demming, NM, which was likely one of the smallest bottlers, making a bit more 'rare'.
Here's a little hunk of what I think is Picture Jasper. It's about 2" x 3" x 4" and appears to have been hand cut. It would be cut into thin slabs and polished to reveal a scene resembling a landscape.
I also snagged a few Indian Wars era military buttons: (The shirt button is WWII era)
Here is an ID tag for a local doctor's dog, and a couple of key fobs. The middle one is stamped 1928 and belonged to a Phoenix, AZ Elks Club member. The bottom one is brass and may have been provided by an auto club or dealer. It says "Return to S. Lindauer, Silver CIty, N.M." on the front, and "Owners No. Registered / No. 90" on the back.
This engraved stone fragment also turned up. It appears to have been either a gravestone or building dedication, It's in Spanish, mentioning December 20th, 1916 and we see part of a fluted column and a banner at the bottom.
Here's a brass Presidents token featuring James A. Garfield, our 20th president who was assassinated in 1881 after 6 months in office. (It's resting on a mystery brass disc). He was the second of four presidents to be assassinated.
I found an ID bracelet for Roy Holland, shown with a couple of pieces of lead costume jewelry above it (which were probably plated). Then, there's a brass heart pendant, followed by a ladies bracelet (hidden, sorry), and a home-engraved bracelet with a hard to read name - maybe Marvin. It also has a flower pattern at either end. The chain is only partly cleaned up - it shines up gold, but no mark on the clasp, so likely just brass.
I managed a 1906 Mexican centavo and a 1946 plain Wheatie, as well as the funny money dime, and some clad that isn't pictured.
More guts of unfortunate clocks, and a nice big keyhole cover
I dug enough nude torsos to open a Greek museum, heh, and a long-barrelled projectile hurling device. Also, Mary Lu's childhood plate, a couple of distressed vehicles, and a few marbles.
I don't want any more bottles (well, not common ones, anyhow), so I dug a bunch, hmmmmm.
I've put the entire town on "Eating Utensil" probation until they prove that they can be trusted not to lose them!
More buttons and buckles for the jars - I'll sell them by the quart on ebay to artists / crafters / vintage clothiers or collectors. I just like to rescue them from their sleepy graves as I dig.
Here's one of the little dunk holes in the creek before the monsoons started, when I SHOULD have been hitting it hard, heh.
...and that concludes todays trivial history lesson. You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.
Best of luck in the hunt to all !!
Here's an 1861 Brass/Bronze plaque (5 1/2" wide) from an early fireproof safe/vault. It was made by Lewis Lillie, who was an interesting man. He was elected Colonel in the militia before he was 21 back in Vermont. He later owned and operated several stage routes and inns in the area. In 1846, he sold his operation and lands and moved to Troy, New York. He established a large wholesale and retail grocery business. He focused on bringing Western products back East. The business eventually failed, leaving him heavily in debt. He managed to repay all his creditors, and though he had no background in engineering or mechanics, became interested in creating a burglar-proof lock. This led him to building bank safes. He created many innovations which he patented, such as casting the safe in one piece in a cold steel mold, referred to as 'chilled steel', which crystalized and hardened the steel. Safes had been made by joining plates with rivets, which could be drilled out by burglars. His business grew into an international operation, becoming the largest safe maker in the U.S. and perhaps the world before moving in 1865 to Mineral Vale, Pennsylvania, where he had bought the iron works.
It was an interesting find because it pre-dates the incorporation of the town by almost 10 years and was likely from one of the early local banks (which also had a very colorful history which I will save for another time, heh). It's a work of art in itself, with it's stylized deep relief design.
Here's pretty good soda bottle find - Orange Crush from circa 1930s. It's in good shape and has the tinted bottle with the message on the back that it is to protect the 'delicate fruit flavor from the harmful effects of light', heh. It was bottled at Demming, NM, which was likely one of the smallest bottlers, making a bit more 'rare'.
Here's a little hunk of what I think is Picture Jasper. It's about 2" x 3" x 4" and appears to have been hand cut. It would be cut into thin slabs and polished to reveal a scene resembling a landscape.
I also snagged a few Indian Wars era military buttons: (The shirt button is WWII era)
Here is an ID tag for a local doctor's dog, and a couple of key fobs. The middle one is stamped 1928 and belonged to a Phoenix, AZ Elks Club member. The bottom one is brass and may have been provided by an auto club or dealer. It says "Return to S. Lindauer, Silver CIty, N.M." on the front, and "Owners No. Registered / No. 90" on the back.
This engraved stone fragment also turned up. It appears to have been either a gravestone or building dedication, It's in Spanish, mentioning December 20th, 1916 and we see part of a fluted column and a banner at the bottom.
Here's a brass Presidents token featuring James A. Garfield, our 20th president who was assassinated in 1881 after 6 months in office. (It's resting on a mystery brass disc). He was the second of four presidents to be assassinated.
I found an ID bracelet for Roy Holland, shown with a couple of pieces of lead costume jewelry above it (which were probably plated). Then, there's a brass heart pendant, followed by a ladies bracelet (hidden, sorry), and a home-engraved bracelet with a hard to read name - maybe Marvin. It also has a flower pattern at either end. The chain is only partly cleaned up - it shines up gold, but no mark on the clasp, so likely just brass.
I managed a 1906 Mexican centavo and a 1946 plain Wheatie, as well as the funny money dime, and some clad that isn't pictured.
More guts of unfortunate clocks, and a nice big keyhole cover
I dug enough nude torsos to open a Greek museum, heh, and a long-barrelled projectile hurling device. Also, Mary Lu's childhood plate, a couple of distressed vehicles, and a few marbles.
I don't want any more bottles (well, not common ones, anyhow), so I dug a bunch, hmmmmm.
I've put the entire town on "Eating Utensil" probation until they prove that they can be trusted not to lose them!
More buttons and buckles for the jars - I'll sell them by the quart on ebay to artists / crafters / vintage clothiers or collectors. I just like to rescue them from their sleepy graves as I dig.
Here's one of the little dunk holes in the creek before the monsoons started, when I SHOULD have been hitting it hard, heh.
...and that concludes todays trivial history lesson. You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.
Best of luck in the hunt to all !!
Imagine having a vodka and orange many many years ago from that old bottle of Crush. Great find. 