Big Boys Hobbies

Exploring an old bottle dump

S

Sand87

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Aug 18, 2009
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I thought I would do something a bit different, I've never done bottle digging before really and I don't know much about them...at all...unfortunately I forgot my spade so not much digging but if you spot anything interesting in the video please let me know! I'm gonna go back with my spade and dig some trenches! Any hints & tips let me know...!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he2JBMgcIOI
 
WOW ! - amazing video :wow: Thanks for showing.
It is a pity o all there Victorian stuff is broken :no:
Next time take a digger spade with you.
HH from Germany,
Rammjäger
 
Thank you, it's so sad that most of it is smashed but people have advised me to bring a garden fork and start digging down...so there should be another video to follow, I will definitely go back as it was great fun.
 
Sand87 said:
Thank you, it's so sad that most of it is smashed but people have advised me to bring a garden fork and start digging down...so there should be another video to follow, I will definitely go back as it was great fun.
Click to expand...

I have the feeling that you will find something very special there.
Please keep us updated :aok:
 
Good bottles have bubbles in the glass,also colored ones are more valuable.cork stoppers are great. Most screw lid type are junk. Also clear glass is less desirable.
 
Sand-nice video!
Looks like you have found yourself some nice bottles there and judging by the size of that dump, you may be finding a bunch more. You did keep most of the better ones. Stoneware bottles are always good, also keep the bottles that are embossed with names so they can be researched. As others said, the cork tops are the older ones you want to find, though some screwtops can be good depending what they are. That broken shard at 6:15 was a real heartbreaker. I would have grabbed that short brown stubby bottle that you threw back down at the end part of the video, it is interesting.

You should get yourself a probe ("spear") to use to help you find where the bottles are. I never dig without one and even if I have no digger with me I use the probe to dig the shallow finds out with till I can return later with one.

This hobby is addicting and beware as you may now be hooked! Check out some of my albums in my public profile.
 
Great video! You could be finding a mix of modern and vintage items because it looks like someone has already been digging trenches back there and also looks like some big machines have been pushing dirt around back there. Most of those bottles are junk, but a few are very nice including the chemist one. Stoneware is always good. Also look for marbles, I seem to always find tons in bottle dumps, some coins and jewelry as well. Good luck and HH! Please post more videos! :cool:
 
Thanks for the replies, the plan is to go back to the dump tomorrow (Saturday) and have a proper explore of it.

I'm going to bring a garden fork and a long sharp stick and see if I can dig down to the bottom. I got myself a tripod too which should make it better for anyone watching.

I also spoke to the guy that looks after that piece of land and he told me that he was out hunting or badger spotting or something one night when he came across two guys who were digging those trenches I showed - they didn't have permission to be there and they knew they didn't so they thought they'd come and empty it at night. Had special lamps and everything.

And yeah, that piece at 6:15...I'm going back for it. I've decided to clean it and put it in a little frame on the wall.
 
Keep diggin , just a thought start your dig on the side of the dump and work in . IMO , if it's on a hill start on lower side and work up and into it . Curious how other diggers would approach the dig . GOod Luck , HH
 
Will do, what's the theory behind starting at the edge? Just easier to work through the soil you move? It was suggested to get in to one of the trenches the other guys dug and just dig outwards from there.
 
If your digging from the edge the loose finds and soil will easily be removed and you will get to the bottom with little breakage . Starting from the trench would be fine also depending on its location in the dump and how easily you can remove the rubbish . Good Luck. HH
 
When digging on a hill, starting at the bottom of the dump and working your way upwards keeps your tail pile (dug debris) always behind you out of your way so you don't have to deal with the already-dug debris falling into your work area.
 
glasshopper1955 said:
when digging on a hill, starting at the bottom of the dump and working your way upwards keeps your tail pile (dug debris) always behind you out of your way so you don't have to deal with the already-dug debris falling into your work area.
Click to expand...

+ 1 , hh
 
Bwaaaaa...well I went out...it was a bit of a disaster to be honest, the weather was absolutely vile and I only found 3 complete bottles under the ground, I dunno where all the complete bottles on the surface came from but 3 hours of digging and I only found 3...it was much much harder than I thought it would be not just physically but technically - you know like trying to figure out where to dig, when to stop...I was !!!!.

So I don't even want to upload the video, there's nothing to see other than I finally got a tripod so I used that a couple of times and I found a really nice blue bottle with 'Granular Citrate of Magnesia' on the side but the top of it was broken off!! Apart from that just absolutely nothing but smashed plates and glass , must try harder!
 
Well, Sand, don't give up. There's sure to be some good glass there somewhere. There must've been kids there practicing their glass-breaking skills there earlier, lol. I've worked dumps till I thought I got everything and then later, revisited them and found good bottles, wondering how I missed 'em. You really need a probe to find where the bottles actually are. Saves "mucho" time and needless digging plus with a little experience, you can tell what is broken and what is whole before you dig. Here's my 4 1/2 and 5 foot probes, but even a 3 foot probe would be good. I never dig without one. :yes:
 

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I would also try to gain permission for metal detecting that ground...it wasn't uncommon for "goodies" to be thrown out accidentally with the trash! Best of luck to you at that site and be sure to wear gloves :yes:
 
Yeah one of those probes would be good, I tried with my fork and a long stick...discovered plenty of things under there with it but once I dug it out it was allllllllll just smashed up.

It is definitely something that requires a lot more patience and effort than metal detecting!

I decided to put the video up anyway even though it's short and not the best

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e65TJaAPv4M

Hard to see but the weather was awful, when we get to Spring and the fields have crops and I can't detect I'll go back to this dump over a few days and try again...I think it has been well cleared though. Luckily I know another couple of dumps that I don't think have been touched before...thanks for all the help.
 
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