10/4/19 Report - WW2 Bomb on 17th Century Wreck. Upturned Bottle Border. The Quandry of Collections.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Excavated Line of Upturned Bottles.

An 1800s lot in Houston was excavated.  Above is one of the interested features that was uncovered.

“One really interesting feature that we found tends to be associated with German households,” says Boyd, “was empty bottles upturned in a line,” which were used to border yards and gardens. Backhoes stumbled upon a still-intact bottle alignment— “Only one got nicked,” says Barrett—including three original Carl Conrad & Company Budweiser bottles from the 1870s.


Here is the link.

https://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2019/9/25/frost-town-james-bute-park-artifacts-from-houstons-first-working-class-community

Reading and interpreting the patterns of the past can be fruitful and interesting for any detectorist.

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Navy divers destroy WW2 bomb found in 17th Century warship.

The 987kg (2,175lbs) explosive was towed away from the protected remains of the sunken vessel near Southend Pier.

Divers worked on the bomb in a six-day operation, working mainly by touch because of poor visibility.,..

The bomb was discovered by civilian divers from Historic England during an archaeological dive on the shipwreck London, which was launched in 1656 and sank in 1665...

Here is the link.


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-49863564

That is one example of how things from widely differing ages can get intermingled.  Items found on old shipwrecks, like this bomb, sometimes come from other age periods and sources.

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The Quandry of Collections.

I believe that most detectorists that hunt the Treasure Coast are interested in finding old historic items.  They appreciate the history and story told by those objects.  They aren't primarily interested in economic value, but that helps.  There are exceptions for sure, but I don't think there are too many.

We all know you can't take it with you, so what do you do with it.  Well, when you have it you study it, enjoy it, talk about it and share it, but eventually you have to pass it on.  Maybe you might want to turn it into cash, but hopefully you have children or relatives that appreciate your finds as much as you do.  You might take note of those people who appreciate your items and try to foster an appreciation of the objects and their story with your children.

In any case, accumulating a bunch of stuff requires storage space.  One solution is to convert some of your less favorite finds into cash and focus on improving the quality of your collection.

If you want to turn finds into cash, a lot of mistakes can be made.  You need to know exactly what you have in order to market it well.  You have to know a little about the market for different kinds of items, and the market will change.  Reading always helps.

Kovels produces good articles and price guides on collectibles of various types.  Here is one good article on things that aren't worth collecting anymore.  The market for everything seems to vary from time to time.

https://www.kovels.com/latest-news/10-collectibles-not-worth-collecting-anymore.html

One good thing about silver and gold is that there is always a market and you can easily determine the melt value, but you can still make big mistakes by not knowing the real market value of an item.
Valuable coins can be worth many times the value of the metals.

Maybe for you it is more about the hunt.  You enjoy the search.  In that case, you might not be so interested in the monetary value of your finds but you will want to share your stories.  In that case you'll want to write down the details, as I've suggested many times before.  People tend to think of hardcopy books (maybe just people of my age) even though they are going the way of the dinosaur, but you can easily share your stories on the internet - perhaps on this site.  Of course I cannot post them all.

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Somebody was wanting to FOLLOW this blog, but couldn't find how to do that.  My followers list is presently at the bottom of the left side.  You'll have to scroll down to find it.  Unfortunately lately there have been times when it isn't showing up.  I suppose blogger will fix that.

We're having a three of four foot surf.

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

9/26/18 Report - Tropical Storm Kirk Again. Construction Unearths Fort Douglas. Collecting and Collectors.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Predicted Path of Tropical Storm Kirk.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

As you can see Kirk has become a tropical storm again.  He will probably weaken again.  There is also a turn to the south.  It is unlikely that we'll get anything at all from Kirk.

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SALT LAKE CITY — Archaeologists at the University of Utah's Fort Douglas are "geeking out" over an accidental unearthing of historical significance.

Contractors digging a utility trench about four years ago accidentally uncovered and partially destroyed parts of a sandstone foundation for what is believed to have been military barracks built sometime between 1862 and 1875.

"We don't get Civil War archaeology in Utah to begin with, and definitely not in such an accessible location," said Sheri Ellis, an archaeological consultant with Certus Environmental Solutions, who has been asked to help the Utah Division of State History oversee and determine the significance of what is found at excavation sites all along Potter Street... 

Here is the link for the rest of the article.

https://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=46395469

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If you watch TV shows such as American Picker or Strange Inheritance, you know that there are extreme collectors.  They accumulate objects.  Some collectors put the emphasis on the search and acquiring items.  Some restore items, while others let them rust and corrode.  There are probably as many differences in types of collectors as there are different types of collectibles.

Some people do not collect items.  They collect friends and pour their time and energy into relationships.

I've read and have heard that millennials collect experiences.  They tend to spend their discretionary money on going places and doing things rather than buying things.  I guess that goes along with selfies which memorialize experiences.

Of the three, I'd guess that collecting friends is the best.  It seems that there are a few souls, who by circumstances or choice, simply stand alone.

People metal detect for a variety of reasons.  As a detectorist or treasure hunter, you can be seeker and collector of objects, friends, or experiences.  Or you can enjoy the meditative state of encountering nature.  Another possibility is that you do it for the money.  Or it can be any or all of the above.

Those who collect objects often share the objects or the hunt with others. Many friendships are made and relationships develop over a shared effort or around the objects found.

For some, the objects are a way of connecting with the past.  Some of the objects that I've saved were given to me by people who are no longer around, including grandparents and others.  Those objects are surviving pieces of past relationships and times of my life that seem distant now.

One fact that collectors have to face is that they will not always be around.  You see it time and time again on American Pickers and Strange Inheritance.  A person who has spent years acquiring an amazing collection finally realizes that there is no one else who knows, appreciates or understands the collection like he does.  Nobody has the same connection to the collection as the person who sought, found and cared for the items.  After all of that, the items of the collection will probably be passed on.  The hope is that they will find their way to someone else that appreciates them just as much.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/22/17 Report - Increased Surf and Tides Today. Thoughts About Finds: Keeping or Selling. Atunement.

Written by the Treasuregiude for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

We're being influenced by the weather you see on the map above.  If you look at MagicSeaWeed you'll see that today (Tues.)   It isn't likely to be a cyclone, but it is enough to increase the surf a bit- slightly more than predicted earlier.  The surf today for the Treasure Coast is supposed to be something like three or four feet.  On top of that we'll have some big tides.

There are some small cuts around the Treasure Coast today.

You probably didn't notice the eclipse yesterday unless you had the glasses or were able to catch a glimpse of it through the clouds yesterday.  I used a sun filter that I've used to take photos with my telescope and could see the shadow covered a good bit of the sun - I'd say 80 percent or more - even though the day stayed fairly bright.

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When talking about a particular find, you sometimes hear treasure hunters say they'd never sell the item.  You  often hear the same thing about certain items on Antiques Roadshow.  Maybe the item is never sold, but the item still changes hands at some point. It gets passed on to someone else eventually - if it is not broken, lost or stolen before it gets passed on.

It is true that you can not take it with you.  At some point, if the item survives, someone else will own it even if you don't pass it on.  They may or may not appreciate the item as much as the original owner.  Family members are not always interested in the things that were always around.

I've seen many times on American Pickers, for example, that a collector decides to sell his collection because he doesn't want his family to have to deal with the collection when he goes. They will often not have the knowledge to know the significance of the items, and will not be able to sell them well.  Too often they are sold for a small fraction of their value. There will seldom be someone that has the same appreciation and knowledge about a collection as the person that put it together.  I don't suppose anyone else could possibly have the same appreciation as the person that actually went out and found the items.  The hunter or collector was motivated.  There was something within that person that drove them to find those items that were so special to them in some way.  That person experienced the hunt and the find.  They have that cherished memory.  The cost, whether it was effort, time or money, became part of them, as well as the reward.  They alone had that experience.  And it became a part of them.

A relationship with an item isn't nearly as much fun unless it is shared.  I don't know many families that actually share treasure hunting as a family activity.  You don't see many husband and wife teams in the field, or many mother/daughter teams out metal detecting.

I occasionally see a parent and child metal detecting, but not often.  Usually the child is a boy in the area of maybe ten to thirteen years of age.

It is not often that you see a teenage treasure hunter or even someone in their early twenties.  I know there must be exceptions, but mostly when I'm out I see people that look like they've been in the sun for at least a few years, if not decades.  But that isn't my point.

There are some people that have hunting partners or buddies, but the ones I see are mostly hunting alone.  If there is another family member present, one is usually swinging the detector, while the other sits and watches, or in some cases carries the scoop or maybe does a little digging.

I've seen a good number of husband/wife teams trying out a new detector while on vacation or something.  That usually doesn't seem to last very long.  If it sticks for one, the other tends to become less involved.

My feeling is that for a lot of hard core detectorists, metal detecting is a quiet, deep, meditative, and perhaps spiritual experience.  It is savored.  All the senses are alive, but the mind is focused on the activity.  Then there is the find, which becomes a new center of attention, study, and finally sharing.

I think the word "atunement" might describe it.  Not only is the detector finely tuned, but so are the mind and senses.  They are focused on that one objective.

You might also notice on American Pickers how the owner enjoys sharing his or her appreciation for an item.  Many don't want to sell their cherished items, but that can change when they discover that someone else appreciates the item like they do.  They know they can't hold onto the item forever and they'd like it to go to a good home where it will be cared for and appreciated.

Personally I would rather sell an item if that means finding the best home for it.  You never know what will happen to an item.  Too often they are neglected, broken, lost or sold for a very small fraction of their worth.  It will not own it forever, and selling it might be the best thing in some cases.
Items that are sold through good auction houses are studied and publicized.  That is a good thing. Auction catalogs provide great reference works.  And the item has a good chance of ending up with someone that really appreciates it and passes it on well again.

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Keep good records of your finds and what you learn about them.  That can be important in many different ways.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

6/12/17 Report - Seminole Silver and Some Good References.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Tuko-See-Mathla, Seminole Chief
Source: Sotheby's Auction Catalog
See link below.

Sotheby's June 13 book and manuscript auction offers a number of interesting lots.  One is the book,
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN TRIBES OF NORTH AMERICA, written by Thomas McKenney and James Hall, published in 1865.

The above illustration of a Seminole chief is one of many illustrations found in that book.

Here is the link for the auction listing.

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/books-manuscripts-americana-n09657/lot.12.html

Notice what appears to be a variety of silver pieces being worn by the chief. They include a gorget, pendant, wrist bands, arm bands and head band.

I do not see this fellow wearing finger rings or earrings, although both of those might be expected.

Here is a good reference on the Seminoles and their personal items of adornment.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19155/19155-h/19155-h.htm#chapI_3

That link takes you to one chapter of a free Project Gutenberg ebook entitled The Seminole Indians of Florida, by Clay MacCauley, 2006.

It seems they preferred silver over gold.  I wondered where they got their silver.  Author MacCauley claims that the silver was generally made from U.S silver coins.

That ebook is worth reading.

And here is the link to the Sotheby's auction that includes the book on North American Indian tribes as well as many other interesting lots.

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/books-manuscripts-americana-n09657/lot.104.html

I started wondering about all the old silver rings and things found on the Treasure Coast beaches that don't seem to be from the 1715 Fleet.  I've commented on that before.  I decided I better learn to recognize Seminole jewelry.

It isn't very easy to find pieces of genuine Seminole silver.  Most Native American jewelry that you find when you do an internet search are modern facsimilies or reproductions.  I did however find one interesting site that shows a few pieces of Seminole silver jewelry.  It is the National Museum of the American Indian Collections Site.  The fact that the items identified as Seminole on that site were all purchased from one collector does not give me a huge amount of confidence in the attributions, but it is probably trustworthy.

Below is one item on collections site listed as Miccosukee.

 Did you know the Seminoles were Nazis?  Just kidding!

Below is the description as it appears.

Culture/People: Miccosukee Seminole (Mikasuki)

Object name: Brooch

Date created: 1900-1930

Place: Florida; USA

Media/Materials: Silver

Techniques: Hammered, cutout

Click here to go to that site.

You can see other silver Seminole jewelry items on the same site.

Here is one identified as a Miccosukee finger ring.

Silver Miccosukee Finger Ring

People occasionally report Seminole Indian finds. One nice silver headdress piece was found near the site of the old Fort Pierce Fort.

Unfortunately the detectorist stuck his digger through it.  You have to be careful when digging.

It can always be helpful to be able to identify metal items that you dig. This is one class of items that might be found on the Treasure Coast.

It can also be good to go back and reevaluate old finds that you couldn't identify or that might have been wrongly identified.  That is another good reason to keep good records.

You might find more interesting information and useful books or historic documents in the Sotheby's auction listings.  Pictures from old books can be helpful.

I want to learn more about silver Seminole finds and hope to have more to post on that in the future.

This post took a direction that I was not expecting.  I'll leave it at that for today.

Beach conditions remain poor for finding old shipwreck cobs on the Treasure Coast.  That has been the case so often for so long that I haven't been posting a conditions rating lately.  With hurricane season, that might change.  Stay alert for new storms forming in the Atlantic or Gulf.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net