1960's HIPPIE FLOWER POWER GERMAN HELMET GROOVY BABY YEAH!

HERE'S SOME PHOTOS OF A VINTAGE 1960'S HIPPIE FLOWER POWER HELMET THAT A GUY PAINTED UP.  I RECENTLY ACQUIRED A COLLECTION OF WORLD WAR TWO ITEMS THAT INCLUDED SOME GERMAN HELMETS INCLUDING THIS ONE.  IT IS A M42 HEER HELMET THAT WAS A US ARMY VETERAN BROUGHT BACK.  LATER HIS SON GOT A HOLD OF IT AND PAINT IT UP WITH THE HIPPIE DESIGNS.  I WOULD RATHER IT HAD BEEN LEFT IN ITS ORIGINAL STATE LIKE THE M35 GERMAN HELMET IN THE PICTURE THAT WAS PART OF THE SAME COLLECTION.  BUT, IT IS A RELIC OF THE ANTIWAR PROTESTS DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.  AS MUCH AS I DON'T LIKE ORIGINAL PERIOD ITEMS BEING ALTERED, A PART OF HISTORY TOO.-THE TIME SEARCHER.

1950's AMERICAN TOURIST'S PHOTO OF ROMAN TOWN STREET UNEARTHED IN AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG.

HERE'S ANOTHER PHOTO FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE 1950'S AMERICAN TOURIST ALBUM THAT ARE IN THE TIME SEARCHER ARCHIVE.  THIS ONE SHOWS A NEWLY UNEARTHED STREET DUG UP NEAR THE PRESENT SITE OF A TOWN NEAR ROME, ITALY.  NOTE THE MORE MODERN BUILDINGS TO THE LEFT IN THE PHOTO AND HOW DEEP THAT THE TRENCH HAD TO BE DUG TO GET DOWN TO THE STREET LEVEL OF TWO THOUSAND YEARS BEFORE. THE STRUCTURES ARE ACTUALLY IN GOOD SHAPE IN THAT THE WALLS ARE STILL STANDING.  THIS WAS QUITE A PROJECT.  I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO METAL DETECT THIS ROMAN STREET.-THE TIME SEARCHER.

TIME SEARCHERS-THE CIRCLED COLONIAL BUTTON-LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE-MAY, 2016 HUNT

HERE'S A QUICK VLOG ENTRY THAT SHOWS A UNIQUE CIRCLED COLONIAL BUTTON BEING RECOVERED ON OUR MAY, 2016 TRIP TO THE LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE.  I HAVE BEEN BUSY LATELY AND HAVE NOT HAD A LOT OF TIME TO UPDATE THE BLOG.  BUT, I HOPE TO REMEDY THAT SITUATION HERE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.  WE HAVE SOME NEW COLONIAL SITES LINED UP AND ARE PUMPED TO GET BACK OUT IN THE FIELD. -THE TIME SEARCHER.

FUSIL MODELE 1866 FRENCH INFANTRY RIFLE, KNOWN AS THE "CHASSEPOT"-THE NEXT STEP IN WEAPONS AFTER THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

FUSIL MODELE 1866, KNOWN AS THE “CHASSEPOT”  FRENCH INFANTRY RIFLE.  HERE’S A BEAUTY THAT I WAS ABLE TO ADD TO THE TIME SEARCHER ARCHIVES.  IT’S A NICE CONDITION EXAMPLE WITH NO MODIFICATIONS.  THIS RIFLE WAS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BOLT ACTION WEAPONS USED IN THE MODERN AGE OF WARFARE.   IT USED A PAPER CARTRIDGE.  THE CHASSEPOT BECAME FAMOUS AS THE RIFLE OF THE FRENCH ARMY IN THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR OF 1870-1871.  THIS RIFLE WAS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 1866 TO 1875.  THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1873 AS INDICATED ON ITS STAMPINGS ON THE STOCK OF THE RIFLE.  ALL SERIAL NUMBERS MATCH.  MOST OF THESE RIFLES WERE CONVERTED TO FIRE METALLIC CARTRIDGES.  THIS ONE LOOKS UNTOUCHED.  A NICE RIFLE TO SHOW THE NEXT STEP IN INFANTRY WEAPONS FROM THE MUZZLE LOADER OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR TO THE BOLT ACTION RIFLE THAT DOMINATED EUROPEAN RIFLE MAKING UP THROUGH WORLD WAR TWO.-THE TIME SEARCHER.

1770'S COLONIAL COAT BUTTON-LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE

O.K. BACK TO THE RELICS, THAT'S WHAT THIS BLOG IS ABOUT.  ABOVE IS A PICTURE OF A 1770'S BIG COAT BUTTON THAT THE COLONIAL RELIC HUNTER RECOVERED FROM THE LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE ON OUR TRIP THERE IN MARCH, 2016.  NOTE THE UNIQUE PATTERN ON THIS BUTTON.  IT WAS A NICE FIND.  THE ITEM AT THE BOTTOM IS COLONIAL ERA CUFF LINK ALSO RECOVERED THAT DAY.-THE TIME SEARCHER

THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY NETWORK BURIES THE DIGGERS TV SHOW: WILL THE GARRETT METAL DETECTOR COMPANY CLOWN SHOW CONTINUE?

IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY TV DIVISION HAS NOT RENEWED THE DIGGERS TV SHOW.  THIS SHOW PROMOTED AND SPONSORED BY GARRETT METAL DETECTOR COMPANY FEATURED TWO GUYS RUNNING AROUND AND SHOUTING.  ACTING LIKE WHAT YOU SEE ABOVE: TWO CLOWNS.  THIS SHOW HAD GREAT POTENTIAL.  I SHOULD KNOW, I APPROACHED VAUGHAN GARRETT BACK IN 2009 AND PITCHED THE IDEA TO HIM.  HE INITIALLY AGREED TO SPONSOR THE TIME SEARCHERS ON YOUTUBE.  BUT, OUR TALKS BROKE DOWN AND AS YOU KNOW, HE TOOK MY IDEA AND FORMAT OF A SHOW AND WENT WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
       WHETHER IT WAS MYSELF AND THE COLONIAL RELIC HUNTER OR SOMEONE ELSE.  I BELIEVE GARRETT METAL DETECTOR COMPANY TOOK THE LOW ROAD AND ACTUALLY HURT THE METAL DETECTING HOBBY BY TRYING TO APPEAL TO PEOPLE WHO REALLY HAVE NO APPRECIATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE RELICS.  GARRETT JUST WANTED TO APPEAL TO THE  PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT IT WAS AWESOME OR COOL TO GO AROUND AND DIG RELICS UP.  THEY FOCUSED ON THE ALLEGED VALUE OF THE ITEMS AND RESORTED TO TWO GUYS WHO HAD NO RELIC HUNTING EXPERIENCE BEHIND THEM OR EVEN A KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THEY WERE DIGGING UP.  JUST TWO GUYS ACTING LIKE IDIOTS AND FAKING THE STORIES AND EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE RELICS.   GARRETT JUST LOOKED AT THE SHORT TERM PICTURE OF SELLING MORE MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT AND DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THESE UNTRAINED, UNINFORMED FORTUNE HUNTERS BEING TURNED LOOSE.
           THIS SHOW HAS TURNED A NUMBER OF LANDOWNERS AGAINST METAL DETECTING AND PROMOTED WHAT I CALL THE "GARRETT MOOKS" COMING INTO THE HOBBY AND MAKING IT A TOUGHER SELL TO GET ON PROPERTIES WHEN THE MOOKS COME ON AND LEAVE HOLES EVERYWHERE.
EVEN WITH THE CANCELLATION OF THE SHOW, GARRETT METAL DETECTOR COMPANY IS STILL TRYING TO GET THEM A NEW SHOW ON ANOTHER NETWORK.  LET'S HOPE THEY ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL.  WE NEVER HAVE USED GARRETT EQUIPMENT ON OUR SHOW NOT JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE THE APPROACH THEY HAVE TAKEN ON THEIR PROMOTION EFFORTS AND THE EFFECT WE HAVE SEEN ON THE RELIC HUNTING FIELD IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. BUT, THE SIMPLE FACT IS THERE IS MUCH BETTER EQUIPMENT OUT THERE FOR US TO USE.
     AS FOR US, YES, WE WISH WE HAD MADE THE MONEY THAT WE COULD HAVE BEEN PAID IF WE HAD SAID THE RIGHT THINGS TO VAUGHAN GARRETT AND THE PRODUCTION PEOPLE.  BUT, UNLIKE THE DIGGERS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE REAL CAREERS AND DON'T HAVE ACT LIKE TRAINED MONKEYS WHEN SOME PROMOTER OR TV SHOW PRODUCER TELLS US WHAT TO DO IF WE WANT TO MAKE IT TO THE "BIG TIME".  IN THE END THE TWO GUYS ON THE DIGGERS WILL BE REMEMBERED AS TWO CLOWNS.  NOT REAL RELIC HUNTERS LIKE WE WANT TO REMEMBERED AS.-THE TIME SEARCHER.

TIME SEARCHERS: THE ADVENTURE OF THE GHOST COLONIAL COPPER

HERE IS A TIME SEARCHERS VLOG ENTRY.  THE COLONIAL RELIC HUNTER SAW A SHADOW FIGURE IN THE RUINS OF THE LIVERY STABLE OF THE LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE AND THE TIME SEARCHER DECIDES TO DETECT THE PARANORMAL TRAIL OF THIS SPIRIT AND DISCOVERS A LONG LOST COLONIAL BRITISH COPPER.  SEE BILLTHERELIC CHANNEL FOR OUR FULL LENGTH VIDEOS.-THE TIME SEARCHER

PINK PANTHER JEWEL GANG GETS CAUGHT-THESE GUYS ARE NOT DAVID NIVEN

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3727139/Pink-Panther-jewel-thief-gang-arrested-stealing-280MILLION-380-armed-robberies-tried-escape-wearing-joke-shop-wig-fake-glasses.html

HERE'S A LINK TO THE STORY ABOUT THE LATEST CAPER OF THE PINK PANTHER JEWEL GANG.  THESE GUYS ARE ONE OF A NUMBER OF GROUPS FROM EASTERN EUROPE  THAT ARE PART OF THE PINK PANTHER JEWEL GANG.  THEY HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH SOME MAJOR JEWEL AND ART THEFT CAPERS IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS.  I KNOW THESE GUYS ARE A BUNCH OF CROOKS AND THEY DESERVE TO GET CAUGHT.  BUT, YOU HAVE TO ADMIRE THEIR SUCCESS IN THESE CAPERS.  (YES, I KNOW, COLONIAL RELIC HUNTER, I WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY IF I OWNED THE JEWELS OR ART THEY STOLE.)   THESE GUYS LACK THE STYLE AND FINESSE OF DAVID NIVEN.  TOO BAD THE FRENCH DO NOT HAVE A REAL INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU TO CATCH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PINK PANTHERS, BELOW I HAVE PROVIDED A LINK TO THE TRAILER OF THE ORIGINAL PINK PANTHER FILM.  THE SPANISH AUTHORITIES CAUGHT THESE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE PINK PANTHER JEWEL GANG.  PETER SELLERS WOULD HAVE LOVED IT.-THE TIME SEARCHER

REVOLUTIONARY WAR COLONIAL ERA BRITISH ARMY BUTTON FOUND-THE COLONIAL RELIC HUNTER

HERE'S A PHOTO OF A REVOLUTIONARY WAR COLONIAL ERA BRITISH ARMY BUTTON FOUND BY THE COLONIAL RELIC HUNTER AT THE LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE.  THE STAR DESIGN IS ONE THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE.  WE FOUND IT IN AN AREA OF THE VILLAGE THAT APPEARED TO BE AN ENCAMPMENT SITE NEAR A CREEK.  NO FOUNDATIONS WERE PRESENT.  BUT, SEVERAL BRITISH ARMY BUTTONS WERE FOUND THAT DAY.-THE TIME SEACHER.

1780'S COLONIAL ERA LEAD DUTCH TRADE SEAL-LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE-TIME SEARCHERS

HERE'S A PHOTO OF A COLONIAL ERA DUTCH TRADE SEAL THAT I FOUND ON AN EARLY TRIP TO THE LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE.  THERE WAS SUCH AN ABUNDANCE OF FINDS AT THIS SITE.  TWO YEARS LATER,  WE ARE STILL GOING THROUGH THE VIDEO AND PHOTOS FROM JUST HUNTS AT THIS SITE.  THIS LEAD SEAL WOULD HAVE BEEN ON PRODUCTS FROM HOLLAND.  THERE WAS A BRISK TRADE IN DUTCH GOODS IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES EVEN THOUGH THE BRITISH AND FRENCH EDGED THE DUTCH OUT EARLY IN THE GAME HERE IN THE NEW WORLD.  WE PLAN TO PRODUCE A DVD ON THIS INCREDIBLE SITE FOR SOMETIME IN FUTURE.  THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT-THE TIME SEARCHER

1937 FORD BUSINESS MAN'S COUPE RACE CAR-CIRCA 1950

HERE'S AN INTERESTING PHOTO I RAN ACROSS FROM LAST WEEK.   ITS A 1937 FORD BUSINESS MAN'S COUPE.  THESE TYPES OF CARS WERE RACED ON LOCAL STOCK CAR SPEEDWAYS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.  THIS PHOTO IS PROBABLY FROM ABOUT 1950.  BY THAT TIME, THE CAR WAS DEPRECIATED AND COULD BE HAD FOR NOT ALOT OF MONEY. BEST OF ALL IT HAD HENRY FORD'S LEGENDARY V8 ENGINE INTRODUCED IN 1932.  THE BUSINESS MAN'S COUPE WAS IDEAL SINCE IT WAS MADE FOR LIGHT TRAVEL WITH THE POWER OF A V8.  AN ENGINE THAT CAN EASILY BE HOPPED UP AND HOTRODDED.  NOTE THE GRILL GUARD TO PREVENT RUPTURE OF THE RADIATOR AND THE ROLL BAR INSTALLED.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT TRACK THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AT.  I COULD FIND NOTHING ON JERRY FERD THE DRIVER LISTED FOR THIS CAR.  THESE WERE THE DAYS OF MOONSHINERS AND GUYS GETTING INTO RACING FOR NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.-THE TIME SEARCHER

1770's BRITISH ARTILLERY BUTTON FOUND, FINAL PART OF TIME SEARCHERS RETURN TO THE LOST COLONIAL VILLAGE: FEBRUARY, 2016

HERE'S A LINK TO OUR LATEST RELIC HUNTING VIDEO.   I FIND A 1770'S BRITISH ARTILLERY BUTTON.  WE HAVE OUR RELIC ROUNDUP OF THE ITEMS WE FOUND ON THIS OUTSTANDING RELIC HUNTING TRIP. -THE TIME SEARCHER

1812 MORSE'S UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHY VOLUME TWO BOOK-A GEOGRAPHY LESSON FROM THE PAST.

 
HERE'S SOME PHOTOS OF A BOOK I JUST PICKED UP A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.  ITS A 1812 EDITION OF THE MORSE'S UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHY VOLUME TWO OF A TWO VOLUME SET.  I WAS ABLE TO GO THROUGH A COLLECTION OF MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS THAT SOMEONE HAD AND FOUND THIS ONE.   THIS ONE COVERS EUROPE AND THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.  VOLUME ONE COVERS THE AMERICAS.  THESE BOOKS WERE EDUCATIONAL AND ENTERTAINING TO THE READERS OF THE TIME.  THIS WAS BEFORE TRAINS, TELEGRAPH AND THE STEAM SHIP.  NO INTERNET OR TELEVISION IN THOSE DAYS.
PEOPLE WOULD STUDY AND READ BOOKS LIKE THIS TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND  PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD.
     PERIOD BOOKS LIKE THIS ONE GIVES US A INSIGHT TO THE LANGUAGE, THOUGHTS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TIME.  IN FACT, THIS BOOK STATES THAT IT PROVIDES " A VIEW OF THE PRESENT STATE OF ALL THE KINGDOMS, STATES, AND COLONIES IN THE KNOWN WORLD."  A GREAT BOOK TO READ BY THE FIRESIDE AFTER A LONG RELIC HUNT.-THE TIME SEARCHER