DEC. 5th Digging Results

It's 5:00, it's dark out, and it's snowing, it must be winter in Michigan!
Folks, Dan has been out of the digging loop for a couple of weeks now with numerous respitory ailments. I think he is better now (DEC22) but the ground is frozen. Anyway I have been digging with Carl and by myself lately.
All I can tell you about this house is that it is around 120 years old, close to rail road tracks, and its 1800's occupants really liked colored bottles, YIPEE!

The owner Pam, was really friendly and told us about the property. She turned it into a business years ago and said the back yard was virtually removed and turned into a parking lot. I asked if I could look for a privy at the back property line and she said when the parking lot was put in, the contractors removed 4 feet of top soil out of the whole yard and replaced it with sand and sold the top soil off. She also said when they did, (mind you this is in the 60's) they dug up all kinds of bottles in the process. My hopes where growing dim. Pam said there where a lot of heavy "dark blue" pop bottle shaped ones with words on them lying on the ground. That was the last thing I need to hear before my heart sank all the way to the bottom of my boots.
With all that in mind she said it would be fine for me to look because the place is going up for sale to developers soon. I lethargically removed my probe from the truck and began probing the back line. I worked consistantly across. After about 10 minutes I had located 2 suspicious spots.
Carl and I spread out the tarps and started a test hole.


It was mostly sand and after about 5 shovel fulls, blown pieces and pottery started showing up. I was very sceptical that the sites would be destroyed and not intact. About 15 minutes later we broke though a cap and hit into a loaded undisturbed pit, it was a big one too!

Carl was pulling some very nice pieces out. =VERY RARE AQUA QUART SODA= He also pulled a whole cast iron bicycle out of the fill layer!
With Carl all set, I started a test hole on the other spot. It also started off like it had been tampered with but gave way to a full undisturbed use layer.

So far here a nice master stoneware JAPONAISE ink, and a perfect BENNINGTON fancy bowl. Also some DETROIT inks, and meds.

Another lucky day at the pits

Both pits were really producing.

Notice the old chain, it was wrapped around Carl's bike? Also check out the DR. HARTERS BITTERS.

Too bad this chamber pot is broken, some day I'll find a whole one.

DIGGING DIGGING DIGGING

That is not a leech, but a black piece of glass melted to it.

Here is the big finish. Just about at the bottom in a hard layer of sand and bottles came the wildest color of a local druggist I've seen. I first saw the side of it and instantly started sweating, would it be whole, chipped or smashed. It was a local MICH. embossed druggist in a beautiful dark teal green! It would turn out that 3 more where lying next to it, 2 in perfect shape, and 2 with small lip chips.

What a find, not 1, not 2, not3, but 4 good examples. That doesn't happen every day.

Here is the catch, not too bad for what ever was left over from the excavated dirt in 1960.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYBODY!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY, SIGN THE GUEST BOOK IF YOU GET A CHANCE. TALK SOON, SCOTT