On a recent trip along the Hudson River, I found a piece that had some writing on it. Knowing me, I had to take it home to do some research. What I learned was pretty cool! Here is said piece.
Cleaned up a bit
My first search was of the Victor Talking Mach. Co., which as you can see was based in Camden, NJ, about 2+ hours south. The company was a started in the very early 1900s and was a recording company and phonograph manufacturer.
From their website
My piece was one of the main parts to what is known as the soundbox (or reproducer). The soundbox is one of, if not, the most important part.
Complete soundbox
As you can see from the picture of a complete one, the needle is attached to the soundbox and extends a bit outward. This needle tracks the records’ grooves and transfers these vibrations to a diaphragm, usually made of mica, which is then amplified through the horn.
What a cool and unique small relic that tells such a big story. I can’t wait til my next enlightening find!
With the weather finally warming up, I was able to get out and do some metal detecting. I decided to go to a few older parks I’ve been to in the past to see if the harsh winter brought any targets to the surface or moved them around.
In one little area, where a house or two used to stand, I’ve found items dating from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. On this trip, I was digging any signal that repeated, regardless of (VDI) number, and on one of the last holes, I found this!
This would have been a piece to an old match safe, or vesta case. The writing looks to say “With Compliments of Emanuel Stern, 120 Broadway New York” and above that, in tiny letters, is the maker, Pyrophoto Company, a pretty bad ass name!
The building is located in Lower Manhattan, in the Financial District. I’ve been trying to find out who this Mr. Stern was, and someone was able to find a tiny little newspaper article about him with the same address! I’m going to see if I can find out more about him and how it might have ended up across the Hudson (if anyone has an Ancestry account, let me know if you’re able to find any info on the name, thanks)!
I’m sure I’ve said it before, but one of my favorite parts about mudlarking is the unknown and randomness of (potential) finds.
On a recent trip I saw a little white, oval shape sticking out from some rocks. When I pulled it out and flipped it over, there was a surprise waiting for me.
I believe it is some kind of (vintage) rubber souvenir charm or keychain. Atlantic City (A.C.) is a South Jersey resort town started in the mid-late 1800s. It is known for its boardwalk, hotels, beaches and casinos. And I happened to spend a Chanukah/birthday for the only time I’ve been there.
Side note: Time and time again, I step a certain way, flip a random rock or spot a non-natural shape. And this can lead to some amazing finds!
Thanks for reading and come back for another find!
Some time in the last two years I found a piece that I (initially) thought was bonfire glass along the Hudson River, and had it in my bonfire pile. Bonfire, or campfire glass, is glass that was melted in a fire, like a dump or beach fire.
During last weeks snowstorm (14 inches) I was home from work and took another look and feel of said piece. Something about it was telling me that it wasn’t glass. It was too light in weight, and just didn’t feel right.
I remembered someone on YouTube finding amber while on the beaches somewhere in Eastern Europe, so the first two things I Googled was if it’s possible to find any amber in New Jersey and how to tell if something is amber. While NJ does have amber, it is somewhat localized to the “Raritan and Magothy Formations of the Central Atlantic (Eastern) coast of the United States. It is dated to the Late Cretaceous, Turonian age” – Wikipedia. Not particularly close to where I found my piece.
Here are some points about the piece and some amber tests I did: like mentioned above it is very lightweight and fragile, seems to crack much easier than glass; it also seems warm to the touch; I did the hot needle test and I think I smell a sweet/pine smell; there is a little UV reaction with a black light and it sinks in salt water.
UV light reactionSalt water test result(s)
I posted it to a few rock and gemstone groups on Facebook and was amazed and fascinated by all the responses. Amber….agate….carnelian….chalcedony…..I learned so much and I think I was able to come to a somewhat scientific conclusion. Sadly/unfortunately, I believe what I found is either pitch or copal. Kind of like the first stages to becoming amber – if only it was a couple million years older. And if it is pitch, it makes sense since it is used for/on ships.
Only way to really know is to find a gemologist or geologist and have them look at it and run some more sophisticated tests. I did get in touch with some professors, and am hoping to take it to the lab and have it looked at professionally. I would love to know your thoughts and what rocks, minerals and gemstones you’ve found!
The start to the 2026 mudlarking season has been hot (this winter) to say the least. I’ve gone on 2 trips so far and have found some pretty awesome things: 8 marbles, 2 porcelain door knobs, a glass door knob and more! Included in that “more” is this cool piece!
Not much of a drinker, I still recognized the Pabst Blue Ribbon beer logo. It is (obviously) missing the word “Pabst” above the Blue Ribbon and almost looks like it was purposely scratched out. It is made of plexiglass, which most likely kept it intact all these years among the rocks, and measures about 7 inches.
Thanks to the writing on the bottom I was able to ID and match what this would have gone to. It would have been a panel to a vintage mid-1900s advertisement light/sign, that most likely would have sat on the bar or register.
Also, thanks to google, here are a some pictures of it in all its original glory.
From discovering history in parks, woods, home yards and everywhere in between, to road trips and detecting all over the world, metal detecting has showed me that there is more than just the “finds”. But what I think has become most important for me, is the people I’ve met along the way.
These aren’t just fellow detectorists, who have become an immense source of knowledge, help and fun, but also the homeowners and other history lovers.
Just a couple of examples before I get to the meat and potatoes of what truly inspired me to write all this. On one of, it not, my first solo road trip, I had the amazing opportunity to detect a house permission from the 1800s. The home was in the New York capital region and the homeowner was slowly restoring it to its original beauty. I had some great finds in her yard, some silver and cool relics, but meeting her and getting a tour of the property made it really stick out!
More recently, I had another great opportunity to detect a colonial (1700s) home just a couple of blocks from where I live in Bergen county New Jersey. The finds were truly incredible, but again, the homeowners were amazing people, who poured their blood, sweat and tears (and money) into the home and property.
Now to why you are all really here. I recently got a Facebook message about some lost jewelry, that may have gone missing in the backyard during some gardening. I’ve never done a jewelry recovery but always say yes for the chance to help return a lost item.
After about an hour of searching the grass, compost bins and bags of leaves, I was starting to lose a little hope. I’m usually always looking down when I swing my detector and walk in general. Some of my greatest finds have been “surface” finds. And this would be no different.
To be honest, I’m not sure if I heard a tone or was moving leaves/branches, but, there lying among the grass and leaves was an engagement ring! After more than a couple expletives escaped my mouth, I hurriedly and excitedly called the homeowner over. I told her that I think I found your engagement ring and pointed to the spot. What I can only imagine and describe as pure joy (and relief) instantly came over her. She picked it up and said if this ring is here, the other should be close by! Not even a second later, I looked by her boot and there was another ring!
In all the excitement and adrenaline, I never stopped to take any (in situ) pictures or videos. And that is okay! That moment (and experience) will live with me forever.
There’s a mitzvah in the Jewish law called hashavat aveida. This is where lost property can’t be ignored and has to be returned to the rightful owner, and done so actively. The homeowner brought up this idea and I never thought how accurate it was to describe this part of the hobby.
I’ve always loved finding and returning things, even before getting into this metal detecting. From a credit card to an ID card to a phone to a cufflink to a cake, it sucks losing something. In this hobby I have found all kinds of relics (and have tried to return what I can), friends and experiences. But it’s times like finding and returning a couple of lost wedding rings, that have truly made this hobby much more than a hobby.
I had a short list of things I wanted to find on my (recent) road trip: a silver coin, a button and a copper coin. I checked off the silver with a first year Roosevelt dime and found 2 tiny buttons in the woods. My copper…was a bucket lister!
It’s a bit hard to see, but that is lady liberty facing to the right (with Liberty above her). This coin is known as a Draped Bust Large Cent and was minted from 1796-1807!
It is my first Draped Bust (of any variety) and officially becomes my oldest coin minted by and in the United States!
I recently had the opportunity to metal detect a 120+ year old driveway tear-out. The homeowners were redoing it and had taken out about 12 inches of dirt. Between them and the workers, they had already found some items more or less right on the surface! When I got there, I was shown 2 glass bottles, 1 being a beautiful cobalt blue Bromo seltzer, and a handful of buttons, straps and clips. One of the buttons was an amazing 2-piece with the number “1” on the front. With some help and research I believe it’s a World War I German 1st Regiment button!
After seeing all that, I was more than excited to get started. My first good signal was a small cent, and turned out to be an 1880 Indian Head Penny!
But to get to the real meat and potatoes. After a few hours, I found a bunch of buttons! All different sizes, materials and designs. Here are the highlights.
I posted them to some Facebook groups and did some side research on my own to try and learn more about them. The 3 black ones aren’t plastic; they could be what are known as mourning buttons. They could be made from “jet” (petrified coal) or “black” glass, and were worn during times of mourning to replace bright or flashy jewelry. I believe mine are glass, since I can see some color when shining a light through them.
Metal Buttons:
WW1 German 1st Regiment
The Great Seal (eagle) I believe also dates to WW1 but from the United States.
The anchor one might be a navy cuff (small) button, but the back being so corroded is throwing me off. It usually has a similar backing to the other military related buttons, and holds up better.
The mill scene might be the coolest because it’s unique and depicts a really cool piece of history. These kinds of buttons are known as Victorian picture buttons.
What a cool opportunity and of course amazing finds!
Big thank you to the homeowners and thanks for reading!
Over the last 5ish years since getting into the metal detecting (and bottle digging) hobby, I’ve tried to go on a couple road trips a year dedicated to that. I think it’s been 2+ years since I’ve done my last one, but last summer I finally got myself a car! Sadly, it took a year for me to finally do it, but I’m happy to say I’ve gone and returned (safely) from my first 3 day, solo trip in the car and in years!
The two main reasons I like doing these trips are the history and age of the Northeast and how close the states are to each other. My destination this time was Worcester in Central Massachusetts, but it took me from New Jersey, through New York and Connecticut.
There were some bumps in the road, like all (road) trips, but the highlight find for me was a bucket lister, and my oldest American coin!
I know it might be tough to see, especially to most, but if you look close you can see lady liberty facing to right. Using that, and having someone with me who knows much more than me, we can say it’s Draped Bust Large Cent, minted from 1796-1807 (I think I can see a 17 on mine).
Besides being able to see the beautiful country and all the amazing finds, it’s the people I’ve met and meet along the way that really make these trips worth it. Strangers can meet in The Hudson Valley or Western Mass. and are able to talk (and walk) for hours about a common interest.
Big shout out to Bob for the amazing New England hospitality and looking forward to coming back up!
If you’ve been around for awhile, you may remember the old homesite in the woods I (re)discovered. Behind the home is where they buried their trash and I go there every now and then to see if I can find any new (old) bottles. Here is one of my more recent and super cool finds, a whiskey flask!
It is embossed with “Elias & Samuels New York”.
Unfortunately, there isn’t too much information out there but they seemed to operate in the late 1800s to early 1900s. They went by that name for a short period of time, about 1902-1906. And had two whiskey lines: Mount Morris High Grade and Meadowview Pure. And at the same time frame, was located in the SoHo neighborhood of Lower Manhattan.
While I wasn’t able to learn too much about the company, I’m thrilled to have found it and to add it my collection!
FindsFromTheGround 