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View Full Version : Finds from the past month - Eagle Infantry I button, RR Tag, old battery and more



BTV Digger
06-10-2016, 12:47 PM
Hi folks,

Hope this note finds you all well. Here are a few of my better finds from the past month dug from two primary sites. Didn't find too many coins but did snag some nice relics. More noteworthy in the wide shot is an officer's Eagle Infantry I button (c. mid to late 1800s, perhaps civil war) and my second Rutland & Burlington early RR tag dating from approximately 1849 to 1867 (years of operation of the line). Ironically I found the tag at the same site as my first and about 5 feet away. How I missed it the first time dunno but now I have the matching pair with identical numbers, way cool. Shown are the original tag found last year on left, and the new tag on right with the little star next to the "3". The button's "I" in the shield has curved serifs upon closer examination so probably Albert's GI 85C or GI 91A though as he states there are many variants. Very happy with that one as well. Also nabbed my second pewter whistle, a plain though very old lead rosette, little iron skeleton key, 1896 IH/1937 wheat, a tin of DeWitt's Witch Hazel Carbolized Salve (thankfully empty!) and a nice little door to a cast iron stove that's shown about halfway through electrolysis. The final shot shows another interesting find that I decided to lug out of the woods. It's the porcelain top and inside mechanism/nodes of an early Gladstone-Lalande battery cell from the very early 20th century. I was intrigued by the early patent dates on the lid, thus my decision to haul it out in my backpack. After a bit of research I discovered these were among the very earliest of batteries whereby the mechanism would sit in a larger jar of conducting liquid with usage in telegraphy and railroad signalling. Thomas Edison was key in the development of this type of battery cell, building on the earlier French model. Thanks for looking and best regards.

John

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OxShoeDrew
06-10-2016, 04:34 PM
Very interesting finds John! Why would there be two RR tags with the same number? Love the old battery! Nice hunting! :clapping:

BTV Digger
06-10-2016, 05:46 PM
Very interesting finds John! Why would there be two RR tags with the same number? Love the old battery! Nice hunting! :clapping:

Thanks for the nice comments Drew. They used a duplicate tagging system, similar to your luggage check with the airlines today. The passenger kept one, the railroad the other until the individual claimed their bags. I found it quite unique to dig a matching pair, very unusual. I recently got a response from a New England collector/auctioneer of early railroad memorabilia and he quoted $130-$160 for the pair despite the dug condition. Nice to know, but I'm not sellin'! ;)

John

Lodge Scent
06-10-2016, 06:37 PM
A bunch of nice finds John. I really like that battery!

del
06-12-2016, 05:42 AM
Congrats on finding a matching tag to your first RR one , I'm assuming there was more than one piece of luggage to this individual on his trip . Still a very uncommon to find a match , and as you already know they are pretty collectable too . I like the key and the infantry button too ! some very very good finds my friend !!:notworthy:

Dan

aloldstuff
06-12-2016, 06:13 PM
Super finds. Matching Numbers on the RR tags....unheard of :thumbsup02:.

The battery top is unique and the coloring is fantastic.

chief5709
06-13-2016, 04:35 AM
Congrats John! I like the RR tags. I've found RR bail seals but never tags.

MangoAve
06-13-2016, 07:20 AM
Nice finds. The RR tags are sweet. Grats on the eagle button. The battery looks cool. I wonder what batteries from the 1840's looked like.

BTV Digger
06-14-2016, 08:55 PM
Congrats on finding a matching tag to your first RR one , I'm assuming there was more than one piece of luggage to this individual on his trip . Still a very uncommon to find a match , and as you already know they are pretty collectable too . I like the key and the infantry button too ! some very very good finds my friend !!:notworthy:

Dan

Thanks Dan. Yeah, I'm not sure whether the tags went to two pieces of luggage, or one was from the railroad and the other the traveler's tag. I assume the former as I have to imagine that even back then (c. 1849-1869 for these tags) that the traveler was given a paper claimant copy.

John

BTV Digger
06-14-2016, 08:57 PM
Nice finds. The RR tags are sweet. Grats on the eagle button. The battery looks cool. I wonder what batteries from the 1840's looked like.

Thanks much. Not sure on the older battery types and that's a good question. I know early prototypes date from the earlier half of the 19th century, but broader-scale distribution and industrial applications really didn't evolve until later.

John

BTV Digger
06-14-2016, 09:00 PM
Congrats John! I like the RR tags. I've found RR bail seals but never tags.

Thanks Brian. I really need to get onto some colonial stuff like you do but alas that's a bit tougher to find up here in northern New England...more like c. 1800 onward in most cases. Central/southern VT is where you get into some of the older stuff. Regards.

John

BTV Digger
06-14-2016, 09:01 PM
Super finds. Matching Numbers on the RR tags....unheard of :thumbsup02:.

The battery top is unique and the coloring is fantastic.

Thanks much. Yes indeedy...I like the blue porcelain quite a bit, especially given the patent dates on top.

John