# Dug several unusual "Firsts" in 1880-toc privy



## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Took advantage of unusually warmer weather and opened up a privy in my own neighborhood I probed back in December. Turned out to be pretty decent for the first hole of the year. House was built in 1882 and didn't expect anything real old, so I was surprised by some of the older things that came out of it. They were all non-bottle artifacts and all pretty cool, in my opinion. Here are 3 pics to start of the hole at the start of day 3, and scattered bottles from the 3rd and last day of digging.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Here are some pics of the better finds from day 1, 2, and 3.....day one best find was the nyuck nyuck bottle, the soda syphon like the 3 stooges used to spray each other with. Never dug one before. Has etched CCB Co. and am still researching it to see if it's a local one. Found several best bottles day 2, the deep amethyst barber? bottle and some nice 16 oz. local pharmacy bottles. Makes up for a ton of slicks we all just LOVE to find....NOT! Day 3 the little Munyon's Germacide Solution popped up with some color. Very nice. Also the amber and green flower enameled atomizers were an unexpected find.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Also a pic of the last day's finds at the bottom from 10 foot deep. The crock was flawless and the pictures were a shock. Found the larger picture on day 2, and appear civil war period by the clothing. Pic 2 is the entire horde and #3 is the pretty Munyon's.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Next 3 pics of what I believe to be a barber bottle as I found several more generic hair tonic bottles in the hole. This one has a refired pontil, ground throat for a fancy stopper and a nice floral enameling along with some gold detailing in perfect condition.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Next are pics of one of two bottles I believe were perfume atomizers. At first I thought they were busted on the necks as they were crooked and sheared looking, but after a closer look they are clearly ground down and also ground on the inside. This amber one is also in crackle glass, a first for me. Both have nice enameled flowers. No pontils on either but both came from the lower or 1880's layer near the bottom.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Pics of the second atomizer.....


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

There were other nice bottles I didn't have, a Primley's Speedy Cure For Coughs & Colds, several Ross's Belfast round bottom sodas and a "The Hero" fruit jar from Cunningham & Ihmsen, sadly with a 3" crack. Strangely enough there were a number of dishes and cups unbroken along with some vases and a very unusual pottery jar that is one of my favorites from the pit. It has a greenish glaze and originally the lid was found first. Looking every bit like a fruit jar lid, I tried to clean it up, with little success. The very top seemed glassy while the rest seemed like very rusted zinc, but not. It was odd enough to put in the pile for later. Good thing, as it was actually much later after digging the jar and cleaning everything up inside the house before I made the connection and tried the fit. It is a perfect and obvious (after the fact) match! Made of clay and glazed only on the top to match the jar! If anyone recognizes the maker it would be great. There are no discernable markings on the base or anywhere else that I have found.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Along with the plate ware were some nice trinket bowls and this pretty bud vase, missing a hard to see leaf. (guess it would be hard to see if missing!) Also this trinket tray came out on day 2 and the lid on day 3!


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Next is a pic of a porcelain statue of a young boy fishing, minus his head. Has a fishy in one hand and a bamboo looking pole in the other with a huge fish hook on his shirt. A perfect find for the home of Huck Fin! Also found in rough shape this copper powder flask with a fancy design, missing the top cap.


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## Robby Raccoon (Feb 5, 2015)

The pictures intrigue me the most.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Lastly, and most unexpected were the 3 pictures I dug out. The larger of the 3 was dug at the end of day 2, the smaller ones on the last day. They first appeared as negatives pressed between glass plates, but after digging the second one I discovered they painted the backside with a black paint to give the negative definition. The old copper frames are falling apart but considering where they were found, it is amazing they survived the simple act of being tossed 10 feet down a stone lined privy hole! One of the smaller pics appeared to be a mirror at first but after a little careful cleaning the image appeared.


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## ScottBSA (Feb 5, 2015)

That's some really cool stuff.  The photographs are really neat finds.  Were they near the top or bottom of the hole.  It looks more like a true trash pit than an outhouse pit. Scott


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

They were near the bottom 10 foot level, and most certainly a privy. Several broken slop jars at the bottom and a seedy poopage layer at 8-10 foot deep. Had the usual (for around here) 4-5 foot of ash fill and a newer 1890-toc use layer above that.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Pic of the hole is poor and should have been turned clockwise for the true view. Here are a couple better shots. It was 6'X3'X10' deep.


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## DiscoverUnderground (Feb 5, 2015)

Fantastic finds! The photographs are a real gem, you don't see those come out of the ground very often. I would be tempted to check out census records to determine who lived in the house in the 1880s - that may give some leads as to who these fellows are.  Great finds all around, hope the rest of your year is just as fruitful


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

The home was built for one of the town's lumber barons and the first of 3 mansions they owned. They occupied it until at least 1888, but by 1892 (the next surviving directory) they were living in mansion #2. It appears the older artifacts in the bottom were of their time period and this privy appears to have never been cleaned or dipped. There was evidence there was a photographer in the family as an early Eastman bottle came out of the hole.


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## CanadianBottles (Feb 5, 2015)

That green jar is a Chinese ginger jar, I think.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

That's what I was thinking, though we don't see much Chinese stuff here in the mid west, other than an occasional decorative vase or dinnerware. But ginger jar did come to mind and seems most likely, esp. since the glazing is very uneven and non-existent in places, typical of Asian pottery I have dug out west in the past. Thanks.


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## CanadianBottles (Feb 5, 2015)

Apparently they were shipped all over the place, I saw a site saying that they're really common in Holland.  Plus it's enough of a curiosity that it could have been brought from somewhere else.  But I'm not sure how much Chinese ginger jars were used by actual Chinese communities in North America.  When I used to find Chinese artifacts in B.C. I never once saw even a shard of a ginger jar and don't remember seeing any at bottle shows or museums.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 5, 2015)

Yeah, I experienced the same in California where I grew up digging in a number of Chinese and Japanese dump sites, as well as our old town dump. Loads of saki jugs and Men Gei pots along with the misnamed opium vials, but never a ginger jar shard......Here in the Midwest there were a few Chinese families that were launderers and seemed to be the only ones in that business, but no true communities like in the west. Just found one in an old bottle book from the 60's that looks very much like mine and identified as a ginger jar.


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## MichaelFla (Feb 5, 2015)

I'm not sure how much they are used here, but in Korea both Chinese and Korean ginger jars are plentiful (I have both). The one you found is crude and beautiful! The multi-sided ones are far more attractive ones than the plain round ones, I think. Great finds from all around the house!


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## botlguy (Feb 5, 2015)

Very glad to see a post from you Jack, I was getting worried you were at the 10 foot level of some collapsed privy.   []                Jim


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## sunrunner (Feb 5, 2015)

well , I would say you hit pay dirt ! Looks more like a time capsule then an outhouse . And the folks who live there had money with all that expensive glass and ceramics to just pitch out.


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## Rockhounder55 (Feb 5, 2015)

You find the coolest digs, cannfromhann. [] ~Mike


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## sandchip (Feb 6, 2015)

Great digs, and what a variety.  Love the little Munyons.


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## kleinkaliber (Feb 6, 2015)

That barber bottle is absolutely amazing!


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## midway49 (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks for your time reporting and all the pics.    Must have been a lot of fun with that much glass.


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## logueb (Feb 6, 2015)

Great dig Cannibal.  I found one of those glass photos in a trunk in a barn at my grandmother's . I still have it somewhere.  Great bottles from that pit.  Thanks for posting.  Buster


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## Bass Assassin (Feb 7, 2015)

Super dig Jack! Where do I start? The munyon's is simply a beauty to behold. What a great color. The amethyst bottle is fantastic. Thanks for showing it in the light so we could see the color. I would be tickled to have dug all these bottles. They are great but it's the non-glass items that seem to be stealing the spotlight on this dig. I think the photographs are a huge bonus. Just the fact that they have survived all this time is astounding at the least. I like the powder horn as well. I am envious because the last 3 pits I've dug have yielded . Anyhow, glad to hear from you and thanks for sharing this one with us. This post is already giving me an incentive to keep digging. How many pcs did you pull out of this hole?


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 7, 2015)

Bass Assassin said:
			
		

> Super dig Jack! Where do I start? The munyon's is simply a beauty to behold. What a great color. The amethyst bottle is fantastic. Thanks for showing it in the light so we could see the color. I would be tickled to have dug all these bottles. They are great but it's the non-glass items that seem to be stealing the spotlight on this dig. I think the photographs are a huge bonus. Just the fact that they have survived all this time is astounding at the least. I like the powder horn as well. I am envious because the last 3 pits I've dug have yielded . Anyhow, glad to hear from you and thanks for sharing this one with us. This post is already giving me an incentive to keep digging. How many pcs did you pull out of this hole?



 Thanks Mark and all others for the great comments and responses. Was able to confirm the Chinese ginger jar as such, and a certain favorite. It's funny Mark, you mention digging squat in your last 3 holes. Last summer I dug a similar privy from the yard next door loaded with huge limestones from a foundation tossed in after it was dipped and then used for a year or so in the late 90's! Got maybe half a dozen crappy junker bottles for my back breaking efforts, and here this pit was sitting, waiting patiently 5 feet away! I joked about the neighbors running over and tossing their empties down the privy I just dug, as it was almost overloaded! Aside from a common 4-5 foot ash layer, it was all use layers and crammed with glass and pottery. I would guess 300 bottles, whole and broken were in the pit with most of the unbroken stuff in the top layers. I was running about a 75-25 ratio of whole to broken, yielding about 150 whole bottles, mostly junkers, but a good 3 dozen keepers. Mostly local pharmacies and sodas. The bottom 2-3 feet was a different story, almost reverse the whole to broken ratio. There had been a ton of bricks tossed in before the ash layer was started, so much damage occurred, but the best stuff from the hole came from there. Also was an unusual amount of heavy pottery and dinner ware. Five round bottom sodas were broken, and as thick as bricks, it always amazes me how they could break. I'm just hopin' this is the start of a streak, as last year was somewhat disappointing, with the exception of a couple holes. Out of 42 productive holes last year, I can count on one hand the memorable ones. I hope I loose count this year! HA! Jack


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## Bass Assassin (Feb 7, 2015)

Thank you for the follow-up and hoping you have continued success


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## deacon_frost (Feb 10, 2015)

very nice digs once again. this may sound stupid but could the ccb.co possibly be coca cola bottling co?


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 10, 2015)

deacon_frost said:
			
		

> very nice digs once again. this may sound stupid but could the ccb.co possibly be coca cola bottling co?


How obvious, and moronic on my part! Of course! I kept focusing on the smaller "mom & pop" soda makers! Thanks for the most obvious and likely correct solution. Only one I could come up with was a Conager Brothers but couldn't make the extra "C" fit! And the time frame when we had the earliest coca cola company in town bottling their own fits with the age of the bottle and the use layer it came from! Thanks again.....Jack


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## Bass Assassin (Feb 11, 2015)

Jack I was like you trying to make that CCB Co bottle more difficult than it really was. That one may turn out to be a better find than we realized. Too bad it's not embossed with coca cola in script, but still a good find. You should look into getting that one spit-shined.


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## deenodean (Feb 13, 2015)

Great story and remarks. I love that Ginger jar, super find!!


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## deacon_frost (Feb 14, 2015)

My pleasure Jack sometimes a fresh set of eyes is a help. I always enjoy your posts( although you don't seem to find any Boonville bottles[] ) you are really putting in some dig time


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## Lordbud (Feb 14, 2015)

Man a whole load of nice keepers you got. The larger size local pharmacies are my favorites. I've been collecting SF pharmacies for years, and the larger 16 oz are rare as hens' teeth. Interesting that you started digging in California. Did you keep your California bottles when you moved to Missouri?


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## andy volkerts (Feb 15, 2015)

Boy!! I love that ginger jar, dug quite a few over the years, and it is rare to get the lid with the jar, as for who made it, there were  lot of them made in California during the gold rush, there was and still is large Chinatowns in California, one of the makers was in Stockton for awhile, must have dug fifty in and around Stockton over the years. And I haven't seen but maybe two or three that were any nicer than yours!!.....Andy


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## buzzkutt033 (Feb 17, 2015)

the green " atomizer " may have been an oil or alcohol lamp. good to see someone digging. ground well frozen here in N.E. Pennsy Jim


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 18, 2015)

Bass Assassin said:
			
		

> Jack I was like you trying to make that CCB Co bottle more difficult than it really was. That one may turn out to be a better find than we realized. Too bad it's not embossed with coca cola in script, but still a good find. You should look into getting that one spit-shined.



Mark, it is a mystery how they reused these as I read the tops on some or many were made while the glass top was also being made, somehow fusing them together. it is so corroded I fear any attempt to remove it would cause it to crumble. In addition to this, the uptake stem that runs from the top inside to the bottom is a glass tube rather than the metal ones I have seen. There is some water remaining, likely rain water seepage, as well as some normal dirt/crud. Any suggestions on cleaning appreciated. Am wondering if there is any value at all in trying to retain the cap top for the advantage of a good cleaning which it really needs.....Jack


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 18, 2015)

Lordbud said:
			
		

> Man a whole load of nice keepers you got. The larger size local pharmacies are my favorites. I've been collecting SF pharmacies for years, and the larger 16 oz are rare as hens' teeth. Interesting that you started digging in California. Did you keep your California bottles when you moved to Missouri?


I did keep them originally, but sold the sodas, beers and local pharms, keeping only a few of my favorites like my blue Dickey's, my Crystal Palace pumpkin seed, an unlisted SF flask, and a few commoner but sentimental bottles. Still have one of 2 bottles from my first dig in 1964, an early plain extract bottle from about 1880 from the Dana adobe in Nipomo from when I went there with the Boy Scout troop I was in to clear the yard of weeds and debris. We discovered remains of an old fountain in the back yard and while pulling weeds from it there were bottles trapped in the roots. I got to keep a couple I found and one broke years ago in a move, but still have the extract. Worth maybe fifty cents on a good day, priceless to me. And you are so right about the 16 ounce sized pharmacy bottles. To dig 5 in one hole is unprecedented for me. I did dig a 32 oz. one once years ago. It always looked funny among the smaller sizes since it so much outsized them it looked fake.


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 18, 2015)

andy volkerts said:
			
		

> Boy!! I love that ginger jar, dug quite a few over the years, and it is rare to get the lid with the jar, as for who made it, there were  lot of them made in California during the gold rush, there was and still is large Chinatowns in California, one of the makers was in Stockton for awhile, must have dug fifty in and around Stockton over the years. And I haven't seen but maybe two or three that were any nicer than yours!!.....Andy


Thanks Andy, dug our local Chinatown in California and never found a piece of something like this. I went online to research auctions for similar jars and though they generally were sold for about $100 on average, none had their original lids. As you say, this seems pretty unusual. Glad I hung onto it. Mostly because I couldn't figure out what it was or even made of. The glaze on top looked like glass and the rest just looked cruddy! I think it is my favorite piece from the hole. Jack


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## andy volkerts (Feb 19, 2015)

Hello Jack. I just went into my digging records, and found some more info on prices. I sold two jars similar to yours three years ago for 225.00 each, with the lids, one lid came with the jar, and one I dug separately but it fit ok. they were of similar color, maybe a bit lighter than yours. Like I said that jar is a good one!!.....Andy......Wherabouts were you in California??


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## cannibalfromhannibal (Feb 19, 2015)

Thanks for the info Andy.....the prices I looked at were several years old, so good to know. I grew up in the ultra-conservative (for digging) town of San Luis Obispo and area. The city crews were chasing my butt out of the creek beds and old city dump by the late 60's! Now they have ordinances relating to "unauthorized use of the creek areas", mostly aimed at the homeless camps but vague enough to include about anything from bottle hunting to picking wild blackberries! Just a note for the trivia buffs, SLO town was the first to outlaw smoking in bars and restaurants.


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## andy volkerts (Feb 19, 2015)

WOW! running you off for digging bottles in an old dump. It never ceases to amaze me how govt can be so Nazi like. Here in Sacto they didnt care where we dug, as the property was going to be cleared off and paved or built over anyways, same in Stockton where I also dug. The only people who sometimes ran us off were private property owners who didn't like the mess bottle diggers usually left. for the most part whenever on private property I always.s threw the trash back in the hole, was easy enough to do, and I didn't get run off much.


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## Plumbata (Feb 23, 2015)

Sweet digs! I especially like the big druggies! I've dug one of those green glazed ginger pots before (no lid that I recall) and didn't know what it was. Think it came from a ~1910 spot. Didn't know what it was until reading the discussion here, thanks people!


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