Digging up History

While looking for antiques and collectibles at Canton First Monday Trade Days in East Texas, we came across a historian we had met before at Buchannan's Market in Lewisville held each third weekend (next show is Oct 20-21, 2012). Scott Freeland, author of "They Too Were Americans: The German-American Bund in Words, Photos and Artifacts,"  is a very knowledgeable historian with a vast collection of Militaria, Toys and more. His collection spans earliest civilizations to post-modern era artifacts. 

Among the most modern, an original 1962 Little League uniform. His specialty being Bund History, WWII weaponry is largely represented in his collection. But for me, perhaps the most interesting is his early civilization artifacts, including ancient celtic bronze ring money dated 7th Century B.C.

Freeland showed me his "Killed" Celto-Germanic Tribal sword, circa 100 B.C. - 500 A.D. The sword is "killed" or broken which was a common practice among the tribes of Europe from the time of the bronze age up until the close of the migration period when warriors began to pass down their weapons to relatives or loyal followers. Before that, it was believed that ones property, especially highly valuable items such as swords, were living things with spirits of their own. In order to accompany the owner to the next world, it had to be killed to have its spirit released from life just like the owner. This particular "killed" sword has a metal scabbard rather than a more common wooden one, which tells us that the owner was a man of high rank, making it a more valuable find.

According to Freeland, one of the most rare artifacts in his collection is his Spangenhelm Viking Era Helmet 800-1000A.D. This 2000 plus year-old helmet is typical of the type of head protection used across Europe by our ancestors in the viking age.  When it was newly made, it was a one-of-a-kind piece hand-crafted for one particular viking warrior. What makes this piece even more rare is the condition. Most of these types of artifacts were destroyed in battle and only pieces remain. This helmet is nearly whole.

 

Freeland also has many pieces of early American Militaria in his collection. These U.S. Infrantry & Militia Shako Plates circa 1820's - 1830's are from the same time period as the Erie Canal and Presidents Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. This same decade saw the births of Ulysses S. Grant, Clara Barton and Susan B Anthony; and the deaths of William Blake and Ludwig van Beethoven. It really makes you think about what was going on at the time these decorative badges adorned the uniforms of early American soldiers.

Freeland exhibits pieces of his collection regularly at Canton Trade Days in Canton Texas and at Buchanan's Market in Lewisville. My favorite part of Freeland's regular exhibit is his interactive dig. He brings a bin of unsorted artifacts and metal pieces he has collected and lets the public sort through and pick out artifacts for just a few dollars. It's just like digging for treasure, but you don't have to get very dirty.

Last Christmas, I found musket balls, civil war buttons, pilgrim shoe buckles and old coins for my nephews. I tried to recreate the fun of digging to find treasure by placing the artifacts in treasure chests filled with play sand. I included a key with pictures and descriptions so they knew when they found all the loot and understood what they had. It was great fun and actually got those two boys interested in finding and collecting pieces of history. I recommend this gift idea to anyone interested in passing their love of collecting to the next generation.
For more information on Scott Freeland, his book and his collection readers can email him directly at bundhistory@gmail.com. 
If you have an artifact or collection to share, please visit www.therarecollections.com