Pewter Platter found beneath a 1700s New England Farmhouse

[loui80s]

This platter is about 16.5" across and quite heavy. There are no markings or if there were they are long gone. It was found buried beneath a 1700s farm house in NH. The house had been demolished and this was uncovered when they went to dig a new basement. It shows a lot of wear and a couple of cracks. It is non-magnetic, so I suspect pewter. Thoughts on value? I can post more pictures.

[loui80s]

More pictures

[mart]

There is a pewter society in the UK but as this one is not marked I am unsure if they could help !!  Have you done any research to see who may have lived there ??

[loui80s]

The house had been owned by many different families since it was built around 1740. No one prominent and had been abandoned the last ten years or so. The layer the platter was found in was between 4-6 feet down. It's been down there a while and it looks like others from the 17-1800s. It seems consistent with something a farming couple would own- it doesn't seem like it was ever "fine" ware.

[icedgold10]

Was it right under the house or more towards a barn?  What part of NH?  I'm in Maine.

[loui80s]

The house. The original barn was left intact. Sanbornton, Nh was where the  house was. I'm right over the border in Rochester though! Hi!

[icedgold10]

I'm thinking it had to do with cooking on those old cast iron stoves.  Could be cast iron.  If you find any good antique places around you let me know.  I have to go once a month to Epsom so my daughter can see her BF.  I putter around antique places while they hang out.

[cogar]

A circa 1740 house with that platter being found buried between 4-6 feet deep underneath the house ....... seems kinda strange to me.

Of course the original residents may have dug a hole for hiding in or it was originally intended to be a "dug" water well, ..... who knows.

[loui80s]

They found a bunch of pottery shards and other metal scraps, so I think it may just have been thrown out at one point. It is not cast iron.

[loui80s]

Also, when they scooped out the dirt all the stuff came out in the scoop. It's not likely it was intentionally buried there and may not have been DIRECTLY beneath the house but was probably tossed and covered over. That was how I interpreted the situation anyway.

[fancypants]

Perhaps what I'm thinking I'm seeing (looks as if , in the inside of the plate , there was once yellowish enamel coating) is just a case of 'digital artifacts' ?

What do you see , loui80s ?

Cool little buried treasure !

[cogar]

may not have been DIRECTLY beneath the house but was probably tossed and covered over.

That sounds better.

It was common practice back then ...... if you didn't have a ravine close by to throw your garbage over or in ...... then you dug a hole in the ground and threw it there. And covered it over when it started filling up ...... and dug a new hole.

Collectors of old bottles, etc., .... look for old house foundations ...... and then try to figure out where the "dump" might have been ..... and start their digging there. 

[mart]

That is likely what happened Cogar, but would have been in later years !! 1700`s these things were guarded more closely and were not easy to come by !! Many pewter items were passed down in families !! It was more than likely tossed at a later time like you said,,in a well or privy hole !!

[loui80s]

I thought it was really strange to discard it. I assumed the cracks where from frost heaves and being in the ground, but maybe it was damaged and that's why they threw it out. You would think they would melt it down for something else. It is a BIG chunk of metal. Any thoughts on value? Does it HAVE any, considering its condition?

[loui80s]

There was no enamel. There is some discoloration and pitting, but nothing that appears to be a surface treatment.