Trashy City Block Finds

[407floyd]

Hello everyone. I haven't posted in a while because I've been slammed with work lately. This whole 'makin-a-living' thing really interferes with my fun times. Anyway, hunted a cleared city block that was obviously inhabited by some seriously trashy folks. Lots of the trash was old so I tried to get between it all the best I could. The first pic is just the whole dirty pile before I cleaned it up. The winner of 'The Most Ironic Relic" goes to the copper ashtray from an insurance company. There's a cool little pistol-shaped pipe snuffer, a 1968-69 Ford Custom Cab emblem, a 1902 IH penny, a 1917 Buffalo nickel, 1910 and 1936S Wheat pennies, a large aluminum token with a whole through it (can only make out the name "Hennessy"), a U.S. ARMY flat button, a "Ten Wheeler" button(has locomotive on it), the silver thing that looks like an ink pen is a "Hu-Friedy" dental tool from around 1910, a Pistol Petes token, a 50 caliber shell from 1943, a printer's block with different types of tumblers and wine glasses, an IONIC padlock, and an emblem that says: Smoke Topic Cigars. I can't find any info on this cigar brand. My favorite is Nelson Wagon Co. fob or charm that displays their famous farm wagon. They made wagons from 1873-1931 in Batavia, Illinois. Longer than other wagon companies survived. Wagon companies usually started making car bodies to stay alive. Lots of other interesting things like the enamel bowl, etc. There's definitely more there, but somebodies going to have to move some dirt around for me to find it. Did I mention that it was extremely wet and muddy, too.

 

[JimmyCT]

You always amaze me at the assortment of nice & neat finds!

 

[doc holiday232]

An amazing amount of American history there!!!!!!!!

 

[miserman]

I think the pistol shaped object is most likely an early 1900's squirt gun. I also found one like it many years ago. The groove around the handle area is where the leather like water bag slipped around it. If you look closely you should see a machined water slit in this area. If there is not a slit for water then you may be correct identifying it as a pipe tamper. Nice finds!

 

[407floyd]

I see what you mean, Miserman. I was going by what others have called them, but you're right. I still don't see where the water squirts out though.

 

[JoeVal]

Quite the awesome plethora of oddities, I’m certain each new find was as exciting as the last. Great preservation of a little bit of your local history.