BigSkyCountry
New member
Howdy All! Had another short hunt today with some interesting relic finds from the nineteen teens, and twenties. Also a few coins, a '46, and '43 Jeff, and a '29s, 27d, and a 1919 wheat. The big round tag with the number 12 on it is a miners safety tag. These were on hooks on a board at the shaft entrance, everyone had there own number and you pulled your tag and carried it with you when you entered. At the end of your shift, you hung it back on the board so they knew you had come out of the mine safely that day. I found this one mixed in the foundation stone remains of an old miners shack. I am uncertain how this one ever got taken home, perhaps after changing to new tags? The large oval porcelain plate, I have seen one of those before in our local museum. It was the lid from an early miners lunch bucket. It was held on top of a bucket of the same oval shape, with a leather strap, and used as a plate to eat your meal in. The small top with the spout was screwed onto a small bottle, and was used for filling carbide lamps with water. The last one, is a very early copper mine lamp that screwed onto a carbide filled base, the top has a few very small holes in the base and a cap on top that allowed the pot to be filled with water. The water dripped down through the holes and onto the carbide below, creating acetylene gas. The gas then rises back up and goes through the small nipple on the front, where it was lit to create a flame. this lamp is early enough that it was sat on the ground next to you for light. The flame reflector and shield is missing, and the handle on it isn't original, it was soldered on to it. I am guessing when Bakelite miners hardhats became safely equipment in the early 1920's, someone tried to modify their old lamp to fit on the new hardhats. Later lamps still used this same method of making acetylene gas for light but were made of brass, and used into the 1950's. Another good hunt, even without silver! 
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