Steamboat Luggage Tag

[DoctorWhy]

Finally, back out detecting after an all-too-long winter break. Today I visited an farm field on the Maine island where I live. In the past the field has yielded artifacts from the mid-1700's all the way to the early 1900's.

Today's find was a "Blue Hill Steamboat Co." luggage tag. The tag is most likely from the mid-1800's to the early-1900's. The steamboat company was one of several that brought passengers and freight from Boston, north along the coast of Maine. Tags similar to this were affixed to passenger luggage that was transported much like the 'checked luggage' on modern commercial airlines.

 

[FliesOnly]

That's a pretty cool find. I love finding somewhat unique and/or weird stuff. Don't get me wrong, I also love finding coins and jewelry, but the unexpected stuff is fun too.

 

[mudwhale]

Finally, back out detecting after an all-too-long winter break. Today I visited an farm field on the Maine island where I live. In the past the field has yielded artifacts from the mid-1700's all the way to the early 1900's.

Today's find was a "Blue Hill Steamboat Co." luggage tag. The tag is most likely from the mid-1800's to the early-1900's. The steamboat company was one of several that brought passengers and freight from Boston, north along the coast of Maine. Tags similar to this were affixed to passenger luggage that was transported much like the 'checked luggage' on modern commercial airlines.

Those are very collectible! I have found vintage 1800's railroad tags and they are worth big money to the train buffs. Steamer tags are the same.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Those are very collectible! I have found vintage 1800's railroad tags and they are worth big money to the train buffs. Steamer tags are the same.

Yes. It's amazing how RR buffs, car buffs, mariner buffs, etc... can drive up the demand/prices of their own nostalgia items.

So I would guess that it might be the same for steamer tag / mariner buffs.

 

[MasonDixonMding]

Nice tag. You just never know!

 

[markinmichigan]

You east coasters have first pick on everything.....Man you got yourself some history. Nice piece for sure. Tell us more about the area you dug that tag. Plus what do your swing? Very cool.

Mark in Michigan

 

[DoctorWhy]

Man you got yourself some history. Nice piece for sure. Tell us more about the area you dug that tag. Plus what do your swing? Very cool.

Hi Mark in Michigan,

Thank you for your kind words. I live on an island on the Coast of Maine -- halfway between the town of Castine and Mt. Desert Island (Bar Harbor). This area is just full of pre-history and history. There were native Americans spending their summer on this island as evidenced by a large number of clam shell 'middens' -- huge mounds of clam shells, oyster shells and organic waste that was deposited, perhaps up to several thousand years ago. French, English and other explorers ventured in and among this archipelago of numerous small islands in Penobscot Bay. Here, I have found a couple French coins from the late-1600's, and a Spanish half-Real from the late-1700's, along with British and American copper cents from the early/late-1700's -- and buttons, buttons, and more buttons! I have also found a small 'trade silver' brooch that must have changed hands from a European explorer to a Native American in exchange for some pelts. By far the oldest 'European' artifact found on the island by my detecting buddy is an early-1600's religious medallion, identified by a State archeologist as a trade item given to a Native American by a Jesuit Missionary who had a mission on Mt. Desert Island in the early-1600's. Along with these 'ancient' treasures, there have been many more contemporary finds in and among the Colonial and later cellar holes of long-disappeared homesteads and farmsteads.

I have several detectors: AT Pro, Equinox 800, CTX-30... This 'fleet' of detectors comes from a professional passion and research into Ground Penetrating Radar and all sorts of sub-surface imaging. Having those detectors also allows me to share the experience with friends and engage my local community and historic society in to locating, identifying and preserving artifacts from this island's history. I also use a Ground Penetrating Radar to locate long-forgotton/lost grave sites on the island.
Through the interest in metal detecting and local history, I have learned Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology to develop and on my computer, maintain an overlapping collection of historic digital maps (early as 1776 to present day) and tie those maps to LIDAR data to locate old stone walls, abandoned roads and cellar holes. Another fun project was to load an image of a1881 map of the island onto my hand-held GPS. Now as I travel around the island, I can visualize the world as it was -- and to walk right up to long-forgotten homesteads and cellar holes.

Happy hunting,
--Bert

 

[GroundSweeper]

Love that tag, congrats! I didn't know Maine was on the metric system though

 

[wolf-n-wa]

Outstanding find brother.

 

[Iggyks]

Definitely very cool relic of a bygone era. Looks like it is between 1884...

 

[Iggyks]

and 1905. But I only searched Maine, hopefully this is the correct steam line.

 

[Iggyks]

Also 1884:

 

[AirmetTango]

Fantastic find, dripping with local history! Thanks for sharing!

 

[DoctorWhy]

Definitely very cool relic of a bygone era. Looks like it is between 1884...

Thank you very much, Iggyks, for those old newspaper 'snippings'. They help date and give great background perspective to the steamboat tag! It For me, learning the history of an artifact really enhances the discovery!
--Bert

 

[vmc1161]

Maine That's only a hop, skip and jump from Oak Island. We need an inside source soooo ... Don't use your real name and send everything here in code. I would lend you some homing pigeons but there not back from Tom in California yet.

 

[vmc1161]

OH, that is a cool find, I have found some hotel coat and luggage tags. Would love to find something like that.

 

[Iggyks]

Thank you very much, Iggyks, for those old newspaper 'snippings'. They help date and give great background perspective to the steamboat tag! It For me, learning the history of an artifact really enhances the discovery!
--Bert

Me too!

 

[Digger RJ]

Finally, back out detecting after an all-too-long winter break. Today I visited an farm field on the Maine island where I live. In the past the field has yielded artifacts from the mid-1700's all the way to the early 1900's.

Today's find was a "Blue Hill Steamboat Co." luggage tag. The tag is most likely from the mid-1800's to the early-1900's. The steamboat company was one of several that brought passengers and freight from Boston, north along the coast of Maine. Tags similar to this were affixed to passenger luggage that was transported much like the 'checked luggage' on modern commercial airlines.


View attachment 593108

Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!