Mapping Early America - Interesting Find

[F350Platinum]

I wasn't going to post my last two days of hunting, really didn't get out for long and only found a few things, I was in a field near my house that produced my most valuable find - an 1803 Draped Bust Half Dime. I found a bunch of buttons with it, and was wondering if I'd find anything else in that area. I had also found a 1/2 real Cob there on another trip.

It's a fairly small field, about a fifth of the whole place, it's way out back and ends in a point on a river. Very valuable land my farmer friends own! 

First day I was only out there a couple hours, I have a lot going on but managed to get about 3 out there.

I got a small handful of trash, a couple of musket balls, a lot of buckshot, and a lot of harmonica bits. 

Today my trash was similar:

I did get a really old doorknob with the iron shank, a tack stud, and a pile of lead again. 

Here's what I found that was interesting: 

A solid brass divider tool, a small one probably used for navigation or cartography. I found one like it that was estimated to be from 1650 to 1750. Wow! 

You can see with the other objects it is small. Got a clad quarter, a nice 1901 IHP, a thimble tip, a really strange object with leather sandwiched in it that is sadly broken, a red cattle tag, and some sort of plug. Also a small button with the shank.

I'm thinking there was a mapping expedition here, and the divider was lost. They may have lost some of the buttons as well. 

I hope to free the device up and polish it a bit if possible, but it may be pretty valuable as is. 🤔

[Doc Bach]

Outstanding brass chart or mapmakers drafting device!

[Valens Legacy]

Always like seeing the history that you can dig up as it just amazes me how easy you find them. I know that it takes a while for you to locate them , and how much work that you have invested into the search to find them.

Good luck on your next hunts and stay safe out there.

[F350Platinum]

7 hours ago, Doc Bach said:

Outstanding brass chart or mapmakers drafting device!

Thanks Doc,

I was pretty shocked that it only required a little straightening to make it look good again. That cattle tag is pretty cool too but quite a bit newer. 🙂

[F350Platinum]

6 hours ago, Valens Legacy said:

Always like seeing the history that you can dig up as it just amazes me how easy you find them. I know that it takes a while for you to locate them , and how much work that you have invested into the search to find them.

Good luck on your next hunts and stay safe out there.

Thanks VL,

This place is loaded with history, I'm very lucky to live here, and have such generous farmers.

It really is persistence that gets the good stuff, the skill comes with it.

[rvpopeye]

You've done it again 350 ! 🥸    Careful now , you're gonna need a museum 😏

 

[F350Platinum]

10 minutes ago, rvpopeye said:

You've done it again 350 ! 🥸    Careful now , you're gonna need a museum 😏

 

I'm thinking a museum is gonna need me... 🤔

[JCR]

Very nice, and special too.  I can look at your photograph of that beautiful spot and just imagine the historic comings & goings of ordinary people(some extraordinary), doing what they thought were ordinary things.  In hindsight, none of it was just ordinary.  It still isn't, even today.

[F350Platinum]

23 minutes ago, JCR said:

Very nice, and special too.  I can look at your photograph of that beautiful spot and just imagine the historic comings & goings of ordinary people(some extraordinary), doing what they thought were ordinary things.  In hindsight, none of it was just ordinary.  It still isn't, even today.

Thanks JCR,

Closest I could get is this:

🤔