# New digger



## newdiggirl (Aug 24, 2010)

Very excited. Kids and I went treasure hunting on our 10 acres, and found a dump place with lots of broken bottles, glass, old leather shoes, mason zinc lids.  I have found a lot of bottles without embossement, and a few with nice embossement.  I'm having a hard time finding out what they are.  I think there are a variety of ages, and after a few hours of digging for 2 days each, am realizing I have to go deeper! Lovin it!  Can you tell me what this is? Should I keep jars or bottles that are embossed but broken?  

 Sorry, my camera battery died, I'll post pictures tomorrow! I'm hoping this week to go to the library for books.


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## cyberdigger (Aug 24, 2010)

Welcome! What state are you in?


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## newdiggirl (Aug 24, 2010)

What is the blue/green thing in the corner? I have found a few of those.


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## newdiggirl (Aug 24, 2010)

my finds


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## newdiggirl (Aug 24, 2010)

an axe.


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## newdiggirl (Aug 24, 2010)

Woodroot bottle? What is that?


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## newdiggirl (Aug 24, 2010)

I mean wildroot.


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## newdiggirl (Aug 24, 2010)

Banner Beer bottle, is the amber bottle a poison bottle?


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## kwalker (Aug 24, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  newdiggirl
> 
> What is the blue/green thing in the corner? I have found a few of those.


 
 That blue/green thing there is an electrical insulator. They look good when they're whole and some of them are worth quite a bit of money. You'd find insulators like that on telegraph poles usually next to railroad tracks. Most of the stuff you've found dates anywhere from 1900 up to the 1940s+ Keep looking around, 10 acres is a lot of land and there's bound to be a bunch of stuff depending on how long the land's been occupied.


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## newdiggirl (Aug 24, 2010)

Thanks! I will definately look for some whole ones.  The spot I'm looking in has a ton of broken glass, and a few of those things, and some bottles.  I would like to find a whole insulator. They are interesting looking.


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## RED Matthews (Aug 24, 2010)

Well newdiggirl,  The first things to think about, as you examine a found bottle are:
         #1.  If the mold seam goes all the way up to the top of the finish.  You might as well leave it for a digger in another 50 years.
         #2.  If the bottom has a whole bunch of numbers and a trade mark for a glass company, you might as well leave it for the same future bottle collector.

 Beyond that if you like the bottle - clean it up and keep it.   

 Things that are important and require careful digging are when you run into bottles with some important things. you will have to learn about and recognize.
          #1  What the finish is.  This the top of a bottle or jar above the top horizontal mold seam.  If the finish was formed by an applied ring of hot metal (additional hot glass), it might even have some extra glass under it that was pushed down buy the tool that formed the specified finish they had to put on the bottle.  These factors say that it is a keeper.  The term is "sloppy glass" under the finish.
          #2  If the bottle or jar has embossed lettering, illustration on it, it is a keeper, having passed the two first rules above.  If the glass has a lot of little bubbles in it, or long and extended bubbles it might be a keeper.  If there are strange marks on the glass, you may want to keep it.
           #3  If the bottom has a central ring of glass in the center, this is what is left by the glass that was on the previous blowpipe, and it has left a tube type of pontil.  This is definitely a keeper.  You will have to learn that - that blowpipe was stuck to the bottom of the bottle to be a handle for the bottle maker to handle the bottle while he applied the glass to the finish of the bottle he was making.  
 There is another handle devise used to handle the hot glass while they worked on the neck.  It was what is called a punty or puntee rod.   These were iron rods with different size and types of ends on them.  They were heated on the large ends and had hot glass or other sticking media placed on them, so they could be attached to the bottom of the hot bottle and become the handle to do the the finish job.
 Both of these left marks in the center of the bottom glass and make the bottle a keeper.

 Now there are a few hundred other things to know, that I can not cover here or I will run out of space and time.  Enjoy your new hobby.  I have for about 73 years now!  When you can say the same you will be a specialist in the world of bottles.  I am not quite there yet.  RED Matthews


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## cyberdigger (Aug 24, 2010)

Heck, Red.. you make it sound so simple! [8|]

 Those 10 acres, Liz, MUST be home to some interesting collectibles.. go git em!! If you can't find a whole insulator, I'll make sure you get one just for trying..  []

 It's a great, exciting experience when they are free, and all you gotta do is dig them up.. but believe me, saving everything you find can get out of control.. so choose your favorites with your heart.. and ask us if the ones you're bringing home are good ones or not until you get the hang of it.. and think about where on those 10 acres would be a good spot to bury the common junk for future bottle diggers, or forensic scientists, depending on whether I am talking about bottles or not... [X(]


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## surfaceone (Aug 25, 2010)

> I mean wildroot.


 
 Hey Liz,

 Welcome and thanx for bringin all the glass. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			








 "A BUFFALO LEGEND...

 Wildroot Hair Tonic was introduced in Buffalo, New York in 1911 with the trademark "Wildroot" registered in 1932. The company was locally owned and operated until 1959 when purchased by the Colgate-Palmolive Co. for $10.5 million dollars. The 1937 Wildroot office building and factory still stand at 1740 Bailey Avenue between Broadway and Sycamore Streets. The 100,000 sq. foot structure has been vacant for over 25 years." From.


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## newdiggirl (Aug 25, 2010)

Thank you all! It is fun out in our woods. My 11 and 9 year old are really into it too. Cyperdigger, I found an insulator with a small chip. Made me very happy. Right now I'm digging to see what is there. Going to just display the things I've found. Finding a few Saginaw, Mi bottles.  I look forward to posting some more of my finds.


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## cblackman (Aug 26, 2010)

dug at clinton and baily in buffalo.


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## madpaddla (Aug 26, 2010)

Welcome to a great hobby.  You and the kids are gonna love it.  There is so much real history collccting bottles etc.  Enjoy the hobby and forum.  Tons of great and helpful people here.  And post pics....we all love to see pics.  Enjoy
 Madpaddla


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