Monday, December 30, 2013

A few odds and ends to end the year.....

floral display on salt ware handle
piece of strainer?
backside shows bettter detail
this little charm is about an inch long, of floral design.  fairly heavy,may be brass, copper or gold. can see it has loop on top for wearing on chain? 
the back side of buttons
found a couple of metal buttons, the little one may be brass
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The tides on Saturday wasn't much for searching, but i picked up a couple of odds and ends like this hair comb remanant

Monday, December 23, 2013

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA!!!......Bookshelf ends

Filled up these huricaine vases with variety of pieces, for the  Mudlarker at heart! 
second view around vase
third view

Saturday, December 21, 2013

A little of this and a little of that....

the days haul despite short time
small chain attached to prod..no idea

nice little lead seal
old button
old tac

interesting pottery
good sized mocha ware
willow ware

care for  a smoke?  midddle bowl is short and compact


small cannon shot?

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Sun, Rain, Wind and Muck!

Last weekend had all that London has to offer.  It was like experiencing the four seasons of the year in a 24 hour period.  I managed to test the foreshore for two tides, an evening 6:30 pm tide, followed by the next low tide 12 hours later at 6:30.  The foreshore couldn't have looked any different.  The evening tide exposed a pristine, clean surface, making for neat pickings.  Twelve hours later the new low tide displayed a ground covered in slimy grey muck and ooze.  Needless to say, not having a pair of rubber boots on left me a mess.  Between these two trips to the river I found some decent pottery and glass.  I take less and less each time, as by now I have more than enough to make numerous mosaic trays or tabletops.  After finding the long pipe the week before,  my expectations to find another were high, but as you will see, just the usual lengths were found this time. 

I did find one pipe with a nice design on it, not sure as to what it is exactly, some type of crest or coat of arms I would say.

I also found some nice examples of older late 1600's pipes.  They are so much thicker and heavier than their newer relatives.  One old pipe bowl was really small, hard to believe it actually was worth smoking to start with.  Maybe it was a child's pipe!


My quest for the rare and unique continues.  I cross my fingers each time, hoping for something that will get a wow out of the seasoned mudlarker.  Until then, I am happy to collect from the past and enjoy the present. 




Just a few pics from last weekends visit.



Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Like Diamonds in the Rough.....


The foreshore is littered with old glass shards.  Most are nondescript, but occasionally I stumble upon one that sparks my interest.  They come in all shapes and forms, from the top of hand blown wine bottles with the cork  still in the bottle, to medicine bottles, to liquor bottles, to glass ware, ink wells and decorative toppers.  I filled this glass jar with my favorites.  It makes a nice decorative piece.  Kind of reminds me of candy that can't be eaten.





Tuesday, December 3, 2013

"Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus"....and he came to the foreshore today!!

Today was the day!,  After the shock of my alarm going off at 5:45 am, I hurriedly dressed and jumped on the first train to the river.  Low tide was at 7 am, and I wanted to be there early to get a jump start. Armed with my new ultra bright LED flashlight I arrived at the waterline by 6:30 and headed on my usual rounds.  The morning started off slow, with only a small pipe bowl and a few pieces of blue china.  I was regretting my choice of losing sleep, when I stumbled upon the longest pipe I have collected so far!  There it sat, alone on the waters edge.  I prayed it would be completely intact, not missing the lower side.  I was rewarded with my wish....here it is, measuring about 9 inches from bowl to stem tip.


As if the God's of mudlarking had decided that this morning was going to be my special day, the next hour or so I collected a fantastic collection of pipes, pipe bowls, china fragments, glass shards, marbles, pottery, and some odd round thing.


Any ideas as to the vessel these wrapped handles went to?


   I like these 4 pieces, the Asian theme of 3 and the deer on the other..


  This is the bottom of a smaller bottle.  I like the design, am so far unable to ID it


This the top of a small pottery jar or something, dainty, but a surviver!!


This round rock like material ball is about the size of a table tennis ball..


And finally the full collection of pipes that Santa brought me today, " Virginia, don't stop believing!"


All this collecting is fun, and addicting.  As my friends keep saying,  "you've lost your marbles to get up early or stay out late".  Maybe so, but I did find one more marble today, so I must be a little smarter!!

That wraps up this addition of my Mudlarking adventures.  Christmas came early for me today.  I'm very pleased to finally have a pipe that has some real length to it.  It took me about 150 pipes to secure this one.  Hopefully I won't have to wait so long till I find another!!








Friday, November 29, 2013

You can put a seal on it!

Finally, after numerous trips to the foreshore I found the elusive lead seals that others find often.  I spent the whole low tide looking for pipes and china and glass, and when the tide had come up to where it was time to leave, I puttered around the last remaining shore looking at a muddy section of shore.  And, just like that, my eye spotted these three little lead seals all within about a foot of each other.  Only one is in decent shape, but one more thing now I can take off my list of wants.

I found the usual assortment of pipes, some of the older smaller bowl size.  One in particular had a makers mark on the bowl, as set of double RR's and another a design of some sort.


I found a  couple of clay hair spools, used to curl wig hair, actually just half of them.  I guess they were early version of today's hair rollers.

Pictured is a few pieces of my favorite china fragments I scooped up.  A nice bird fragment, two Asian faces, an Asian boat, and some colorful other pieces.  One looks a lot like pearl ware with a yellow colorization.


and lastly I picked up another piece that I believe goes along with a shard I pictured last week.  I'm still unsure as to what type of vessel it comes from. ( update..a marmalade jar )

Not a bad return to the foreshore.  The tides weren't the best, the weather however stayed dry despite a definite cooling trend.  The birds don't seem to mind, and they keep me company!