A Very Rare Find of a Lifetime found in the Thames Mud fills me with JOY! - Mudlarking the Thames
One dark and rainy morning on the Thames in February I found one of my best ever mudlarking finds which filled me with absolute joy!! I had set my alarm to get up for the low tide but the weather was horrendously rainy, cold and wet. I very nearly stayed tucked up in bed. I then got stuck in traffic and almost turned around to go home. Im SO glad I did get up and that I didn't turn around and go home as I would not have found this beautiful treasure!!
Thank you to Alessio (@london-madlark on instagram) for filming the delight. Thank you to Phil (@phillygumbo on instagram) for helping with the ID.
If you would like to try mudlarking on the Thames you do need a permit from the Port of London Authority so you can check out their website for the details:-
www.pla.co.uk/Environment/Tha...
Follow me on twitter and instagram for more mudlarking finds @tidelineart
Thank you for watching.
See you soon.
Nicola
Nicola White
www.tidelineart.com
#mudlarking #nicolawhite #tidelineart
Thank you so much everyone for your comments! I plan to answer them as soon as I can. Much love, Nicola xx
We also watched a video where you found a piece of metal and you said it looks like a man shrugging his shoulders ,me and dad think it could be a gentleman's monocle frame.
I love your Raven pendant. Where can I get one? It looks exactly like an image from the internet that I used in a stone carving.
Imagine the drunken person holding that bottle in one hand, with their thumb in the punt, as they drank from it, eventually finishing it, and chucking it into the river.
@@meinkamph5327 Your name alone, creeps me out.
Oh Nichola, I’m so happy for you, well done. You deserve every delicious moment of finding your onion bottle, made my day!
The chances of a glass bottle surviving intact for 30 years in a river is probably fairly low... for a bottle to survive 300 years in one is rather incredible! Brilliant find!
Yes! Exactly. - nicely stated
The river is kind of like a giant rock tumbler, it amazes me that any bottle would survive long.
I’ve just found a part of one today embedded in the hill in Scarborough!!
It wasn’t intact it was broken
4:00 @@TheThetechnician
If you think about it, for that bottle to be tossed into the river, then buried by the mud over hundreds of years, then the mud receding and washed away enough to be able to see it to be excavated roughly 400 yrs later has to be an absolutely amazing experience!! Congrats, and love ya from California!
yes! such an amazing experience Bob! It really is. I wonder how many more are lingering in the mud waiting to be found. thank you for watching x
@@nicolawhitemudlark Watching archeology shows like Time Team, they always say you have to dig deeper to find more ancient artifacts. Imagine the treasures the river could give up if only you could dig! Onion bottles and pipes galore! 😉
I really like your presentation style. You’re very professional. When you pick up an object and then you go back into your video and you insert photo of the cleaned object, that’s terrific! And then following up in your studio and telling us more about the objects and showing them clean and giving us a bit of your history and research… Just lovely. #tidelineart
Thank you
What a truly magnificent find Nicola. I am a Londoner also, but now live in Hampshire and have been a Metal Detectorist for the past 40 odd years, I have also done the Thames Foreshore a few times also, but when I lived near London. Whether Mudlarking or Detecting the Fields, I still get an enormous thrill out of it and, I have also had some truly amazing finds over the years. I am now retired, but suffer from bad arthritis and struggle to get out and about these days, but I do still try lol. I love yours and Si's finds and your Videos, so please keep them coming love ❤️
I found it interesting and a little funny that I, as a horseman in the middle of Montana would immediately know how exciting the onion bottle find was. Without you and Si I wouldn't have known how rare or unique a find it was. An across the pond high five to you on that find! Good to see both the squirrel girl and the squirrel 😊 and as always, the best to you both.
KZhead sort of pulls us all together sometimes. Hey from Alberta 🇨🇦
@@kerrypitt9789 Heya! 🙂 Nice to see a neighbor from the north here!
Me too!! A fellow American loving Nicola and Si!
@@Montana_horseman i
Agreed. Montana born, Ohio raised, living in S.Korea and enjoying the thrill of the finder more than the find of a distant river in Great Britain... Great stuff~~
You were the first mud larker I started watching pre -pandemic. I now also watch Si and The Northern Mudlarks and many others. I also got a beginner metal detector for my 74th birthday so thanks for the inspiration. Your were rewarded by the river for searching in the rain. Epic find of the onion bottle.
Other great channels are kit and caboodlers (mom and daughter) as well as Mudpies (dad and daughter).
Yes, I watch those as well. Thanks
Me too. Nicola you helped me get thru the worst of the pandemic.
Is Nicola that old?😁 In the late18th century there were already mudlarks who searched along the Thames in London
The wood wheel thing is called a 'sheave' and is part of a ships 'block' used on sailing vessels. It is most likely made from 'lignum vitae' which is the hardest of all woods.
Yes.
Nicola this has been a week of weeks. You are my favorite mudlarker, you have been for years and every time you go out I am cheering for you. When I saw the base of that bottle I was holding my breath and yelling and turning purple! I am so happy for you and the excitement in your voice was beautiful! Now I said "Week of Weeks," I follow an Australian Gold Hunter who is a single woman braving the Australian outback hunting for gold with her metal detector. She usually finds a few grams a day and is mobile with no home, just a 4x4 and a tent camp. She is brave like you. So her last three shows she came upon a good reef find that required a couple of friends to come and jackhammer it out. She found 5.4 ounces! Worth over 23000 AUD! She has a very nice trailer to live in while she mines. The two women I admire so much have found success in the same week. If anyone deserves a gesture from the universe it is the both of you. Blessings to you!!!❤️❤️
Thank you Kerry! xx
Please never apologize for having such joy filling every cubby in your being... I was in tears of happiness for you... Congrats to you and the need for you to seek treasures and take us with you.. Much love and friendship #TIDELINEART
I was screaming "No way" "no way" as soon as you pulled that onion bottle out the mud, I was so excited for you. One Amazing Incredible Unbelievable find, just stunning
Me too!!!! I am still still grinning from ear to ear!!!!!!!
ik ben erg blij voor je, wat een geweldige vondst. je bent een uniek en gezegend mens. Bedankt.
Amazing incredible unbelivable? Ok relax lady
That is a find to truly get excited about! I am always amazed at your eagle eye to spot things. That is clearly years of practice. It is incredible that a bottle can survive centuries to end up in your hands, to then be beautifully captured on our technology and beamed across the globe. You are right, whoever threw that bottle away could never have imagined - your excitement and a global audience. It is magical!
I just discovered you today, and I must say I am enjoying your finds very much. I've retired from 40-plus years in law enforcement and moved to one of the premier historical cities in the USA, Charleston, South Carolina. What I most enjoy when watching you, is that you always have an epilog detailing the items and tying them into history. I will enjoy many hours of watching you staring at the mud. Be safe.
Thank you and welcome
You live in a BEAUTIFUL state - lots of good exploring on your beaches too!
Susan from Shelburne here. The wonderful thing about joy is that it is contagious! I got so excited my whole family came over to watch the extraction! And, as an aside, I get great joy from the sound of raindrops hitting the water, and the sight of the various birds who join you on the foreshore. Thank you for including that in your videos. #Tidelineart
Wow now that’s your reward for the bad weather and dedication to getting out there and sharing your adventures, so well deserved - shared on my little Facebook page, from Jackie 🤩🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Always, always, ALWAYS…enjoy your vids, and it is a joy being a part of your joy! I COMPLETELY understand your joy and wonder; I think just like that….who last touched this and I’m the first one to handle it for centuries! Empathetic cheers….and what’s the chance of you being out there in the challenging weather….at that particular spot and just having such a limited portion of it catching your eye! Blessings!
Congrats on the onion bottle! Loving what you do! A word on the uranium glass... It may be the remains of a deck prism, used in the 19th C. A hole was notched in the deck and prisms were placed in to allow light to the lower deck. BTW - I'm a contributor to the Treasurenet 'What is it?' forum. We are arguably the finest collection of minds from around the world identifying mystery objects on the internet. You won't find a nicer group, that's for sure. Please join us or post up your unidentifiable bits so we may give you help.
Fascinating that there is a group examining mysterious objects...I love it. Thank you your thoughts on the glass- interesting.
Thank you. I shall do that!
If you know your Elizabethan history, you will recognise that as a 'SPLAT' of purest green, created by that great alchemist Sir Percy Percy in an attempt to bail out his friend Lord Blackadder when he was bankrupted by the Bank of the Black Monks, lol.
That makes a lot of sense! It was bug me. Thanks 🙏
Nicola your excitement was absolutely so palpable that I actually squealed with delight myself when I saw that bottle come out of the mud unbroken. What an amazing find!!!! No one deserves it more than you my friend I’ve yet to meet!! Love from DeeAnn 🇺🇸
Nicola, your absolute joy "floated" all the way to me here in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Thank you for teaching all of so much each week! #TIDELINEART
I’m in A2 too!
The bottle had been waiting all that time for you to find. What an incredible discovery and it has my imagination racing as to what the person looked like who tossed it and what was happening in their life that day in time so long ago?
As a long time follower, one of the most appreciated aspects of being an avid fan, is when you put a find in its historical context. Fascinating!
Hi 👋 how are you doing?
The best part of this, and all your videos, Nicola, is your excitement at finding the treasures. Your finding of the onion bottle, your excitement, and your joy are contagious. Thank you for sharing your adventures. I look forward to what the Thames washes up for you next time...
Hi 👋
Just watching your excitement when you realised that it was a rare onion bottle was very contagiousat least to me. I would say this was for certain a real Mudlarking memory ,well done Nicola. Another exciting vlog to welcome Spring, Here's to a fruitful one for you .I so look foward to "Larking with you Nicola. Take care. Cheers from me and Canada X
I find it absolutely amazing that you can walk down to the river and casually find artifacts that connects you to the history of your country that not only spans decades but centuries. Here in Canada we have rocks, rocks everywhere, we are one giant rock with a bit of green growing on it. If you every get tired of finding timeless treasures and want a rock, not just any rock, but a Canadian rock, let me know I'll send you one maybe two - we have a few.
Canada ROCKS!!!
Can you send me a rock?
Swap you for a Michigan rock or a pocket full of sand
Every place has history. Canada has millenia of indigenous history.
@@lazydaisy649 I’ll send you the whole country, shipping is most definitely extra.
That onion bottle was such a rewarding find for braving the inclement weather. To watch you extracting it and seeing your joy just made this video. Great stuff Nicola. Sue and Ian, Australia
Do you know why I enjoy your channel so much, Nicola? Because it teaches me humility. I'm something of a know-it-all who often likes to show people the error of their ways. Your channel has given me a whole new perspective and knowlege about things I knew prescious little about before. Programmes like the Antiques Road Show feed my ego because I usually get my estimates right, but with your videos it's a hit and miss. Thank you for doing what you do and keeping me on edge!
Thank you! There's so much I don't know. That's the magic of mudlarking ❤️
Another great vlog to lift our spirits in these strange times. You capture the atmosphere of the cold, wet Thames perfectly in the video. Congrats on the brilliant onion bottle. You deserve it! Thanks for sharing such joy with everyone who can't be down there. #tidelineart
My face hurts from constantly smiling at your joy of finding the onion bottle, Nicola🤗 What a great day that was for you.
My my!As an antique bottle collector,this literally made my heart skip a beat! What a beauty! Thankyou & Cheers!
A couple of years ago at an event in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, I came across a mudlarker who had turned a few finds into jewelry. I was transfixed and bought a few pieces. My favorite is a pair of earrings made4 with clay pipe stems. I then did a lot of research on mudlarking. So I am thrilled to find your channel. #tidelineart
Northern mudlarks and Kit and Caboodlers are mother and daughter duos,they are excellent for making things with their finds ,also Tom Burleigh for a gentle river lark(mostly)
Congrats on the Onion bottle! Love the history that you go into with each find, and am super jelly of all of your finds lol. A little tip on the coins, as Ive learned recently. Try and refrain from removing any patina til its dried and then apply slight film of oil to reveal details. Thanks again for the content!!
Such incredible joy and excitement in today's video, Nicola! I must say, your happiness is contagious. Congratulations on the onion bottle and thanks for brightening my day in the process. As ever, thank you for the back stories on your finds and the pleasure your mudlarking brings to so many of us. I feel like that Victorian coin (~02:25)...in that I've seen better days! #tidelineart
Every time I drop by to see what you are doing, it's like spending a little time with an old friend. I'm not sure how you can talk to a camera and get that feel but you do and you do it well.
What a lovely testimonial you wrote for her! Her videos are truly a joy!
Oh it's taken me nearly a week to feel up to watching a KZhead video, and what a delightful joy your upload is - as always! Thanks for lifting a low heart - for the hundredth time! 🥰 Loads of love to you Nicola - what a beautiful and well deserved gift the Thames has presented you with 🍾. Have a fab week xx
Seeing your in-the-moment joy at finding that onion bottle made me smile so hard, it almost hurt! I work with children, and it reminded me of when they get excited by learning something new and surprising to them. As we get older, I think many of us lose that kind of capacity for enthusiastic thrill. Keeping it; making a conscious effort to find a way to keep that capacity, can keep us young! #tidelineart. And Mr Squirrel looked a bit put off by his body double, but curious at the same time.
No exaggeration on the excitement....I share it... What a treat that you bring us along. THANK YOU!!!
I very much enjoy history and digging for gold and relics, but i must say YOU are the most interesting part of the show...great enthusiasm!
I am learning so much on your channel. I have never hear or seen of an onion bottle. Beautiful! Loved that you were able to find a fellow mudlarks to film you.i work with children and the enthusiasm they have at a great find is a once in a lifetime find kind of feeling every time. Never loose that feeling, Ms Nicola. Keep sharing your beautiful find with us and teaching us about the treasures you find. Hugs
Hi 👋 how are you doing?
@@Godwinpounds4333 I am well thank you. Checked out your video, impressive farm you have. You are very industrious. The farm will keep and your wife busy all summer long.
@@lisecurley6995 lol I’m sorry I don’t have a wife I’m a widower lost her 7 years ago. And thanks for the compliment it’s nice meeting with you here. Where are you texting from?
I am sorry to hear about the lost of your wife. I am writing from Victoria British Columbia Canada
@@lisecurley6995 it fine thanks for your condolence. I’m from Florida USA. How’s the situation of things over there?
You said rain gear and I heard Reindeer ! I laughed and had to play it back, imagine that mudlarking with Reindeers !
Congratulations! It still amazes me how those bottles can remain intact 300 years later! Especially with all the rocks it was surrounded by. I just cannot comprehend how that thing is still intact!
......which means.... drumrolllllll.....that there are many more to be found
@@elsajones6325 is actually incredibly rare to find them unbroken. This is the first whole one she has ever found and she's been mudlarking a long time. Simon at Si Finds has only ever found one, and he's been mudlarking a very long time as well.
@@micah06v8 I have hope that before too long, there'll be a sizable collection. The picking is tedious and the area of search too massive to get too much done in a hurry. I think I could spend all day in an area four square yards. One pair of eyes and hands can only do so much. ...here I am, in the desert, in 105* heat cheering her along
Designed to fall to the deck of a wooden ship, and hopefully not break.
They don't make them like they used to
In the painting "A Midnight Modern Conversation" attributed to Hogarth, they appear to be using onion bottles.
I’m so happy for your discovery. I especially liked that you created a homey scenario with the bottle, pipe, turtle bone and wig curler. Who knew mud larking could tell such a quaint little story. Keep doing you ❤️
Absolute corker of a find, Nic! Very, very well done. xx
Amazing! I am a bottle hunter in the western United States. We have never found anything like this. The oldest specimen we have come across would be late 1800s. Would love to see these in person. Very nice Nicola. Please do not stop posting. Love your videos.
I live in an old town near the railroad. My house is one of the oldest (1836) in town. A couple guys that have a club asked to dig up old out house areas on my place. Because the railroad was so close they found bottles from up and down the east coast, some REALLY old. Some of those old outhouse pits were 15'-20' deep and were used as trash bins. It is a place to look if you did not know about them.
Your "donut" is in fact a "Sheave" from a "Block" used on shipboard. Blocks were used for mechanical advantage in hoisting things like sails, small boats, cargo, etc. Part of a Block and Tackle system. The more sheaves in your block the greater the mechanical advantage. If you read the Diary of Samuel Pepys mens wigs became popular in the mid 1660's and are well documented in his volumes. In his time wigs were sent out to be cleaned and rolled. It wasn't done at home yet. Pepys is a very valuable resource for history if that era. He knew all the imporent people from Charles II on down! Being bead collector I have run into Uranium glass beads from the 19th century. They are pretty scarce these days but a few are still out there.
There's a gold prospector's saying: 'Once on the gold, stay on the gold!' Having been a gold prospector for a good 5 years I know this to be true, so I suggest you keep to this patch of the Thames because great finds can still be found. That wonderful old bottle of 4:34 is a great example, good reason to have GPS on your camera or a hand-held so you can return. Comments help build your channel, too! I'm cheering you on! My very best wishes to you Nicola, ~Wendi UK 🌻
Thank you Wendi!
Lovely to see someone take so much joy in discovery of a much coveted object! Well deserved congratulations to you! Wonderful to see your smiling face. Thank you for sharing ❤️
With all the depressing news of late it's so uplifting to see this great find and your bubbly excitement. Cheers from Sydney, Australia.
Beautiful bottles! Having had childhood experience of glass being blown by hand I can see the early skills developing between the two! Thank you for yet another journey in your Tardis 😁
This melted my cold, cold heart. Your channel is amazing. Your joy just touched me so much, i was so happy for you. X
How funny, that song has been haunting me for hours till I read this.
Dear Nic, Your gentle kindness, and enthusiasm helps restore one's hope for humanity. It is something the world could use much more of. Also, the way you put your finds into historical perspective is really quite interesting and entertaining. Thank you, and all the best. #Tidelineart
Feather Edge Slipware- I think, it's so long since I have worked with Post Medieval Ceramics. Wonderful, and insightful commentary on your finds. Thank you. Continue your excellent work mudlarking
What a fantastic picture of Georgian times! I appreciate the time it takes to put something like this historic melange together. Congrats, great find!
That onion jar was the bees knees Nicola, what a smashing find on a miserable wet cold day. Xxx
You are as AMAZING as your finds on the Thames Nicola. i absolutely love your presentation style.
Thank you!
Nicole! Such a charming video, thank you. The history lesson was so informative and really rounds out (like an onion bottle) your finds. I very much admire your humble, grateful and gracious demeanor as well. Cheers!
Oh my goodness!! Such a incredible find Nicola. Well done & congratulations 🎉🎉🎉
5:46, "Sorry for the exaggeration..."????? It is rare today to hear people speak with appreciation, enthusiasm, Joy. Never apologize for Happiness. You bring so much to others. We are grateful to share with you. Never stop.
Thank you ❤️
Well Done, Nicola!!! I am amazed as always that you were able to spot a potential treasure in the mud and draw out this fantastic bottle! Best wishes from the US!
Wonderful find on that miserable day. You so deserved to find that bottle after your painstaking efforts to piece together the other one ❤️
To me thinking that those onion bottles have been floating and bobbing and sinking and moving for over 300 years is just mind blowing. If only they could talk eh!
I'm new to this.... I find it so interesting. Love how you show us and give some history afterwards. Thank you! Best wishes from Pennsylvania U.S.A.
When you were digging out the Onion bottle I remembered you digging out all the pieces of the first onion bottle and gluing it all together. I was so hoping that you had all the pieces and was thrilled when you showed it whole, you can imagine me watching this video, I was preying that it came out whole and it did. I’m so happy for you 😊🎉 #Tidelineart
I'm so happy for you that you found an intact onion bottle! Great finds today! Much love from Louisiana ❤️❤️
I do my own version of mudlarking along the St. Lawrence River in Northern New York, and I love to watch your adventures!
Oh WOW! So, so happy for you! How incredibly exciting and fortunate. As a child in Australia I dreamed of these finds on Nth Stradbroke Island off the coast of Qld. I found bottles, pipes, and all kinds of treasures from a time, long past. I felt your JOY! WELL DONE NICOLA! 🥰🤗❤
What a stunning find!!! Congratulations Nicola!!!!
Mr squirrel even looked surprised when he saw the onion bottle through the window 🐿 great finds ,cheers Nicola 🍻
I can just imagine Nicola running down the shore with her lovely onion bottle yelling! 😂❤️ I’m excited for you.
Thank you so much for sharing these finds. I love the history you put with each find if you can. Great filming and lovely presentation 💕🇦🇺
Hi 👋
I love going along with you on your adventures! You are a woman after my own heart! Here in the states we don’t call it mudlarking! More like beach combing. Whatever you call it I’m always looking down when walking along a river or beach. Your onion bottle find was very exciting I’m so happy for you!
Your excitement over the onion bottle was my favorite part of the video. When you pulled it out of the mud and I saw what it was, I squealed and startled my dog! 😄 #tidelineart
Absolutely thrilled for you Nic, beautiful find. Good luck x
That cd was the best thing you've probably ever found and the hour delay sign I am very interested it and its not for use in the kitchen. I wish you well and I wish for the well being and safety of the English population, sometimes I worry or at least I started worrying ever since I found this channel. May the mud be soft and easy to dig..
Such an incredible find! The find of a lifetime for sure - every mudlark hopes to find one of those!
Simply amazing that those bottles survive, I love it.
Congratulations on an amazing and beautiful find!! I'm so happy for you!!
What a well deserved find Nicola!!! 💜
Stellar find, Nicola. As Josie of the mudpies would say: ONION IT!!!!!! Love the wonkiness of it so much. Be well from Washington state USA ❤️
Let's hear it for the great state of Washington!!!!!!
Tacoma native myself, miss it dearly.
Félicitations pour cette magnifique trouvaille 😉👍
What a fantastic find! Your excitement is infectious. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my gosh, congratulations Nicola. This video was so fun to watch and to share in your joy and excitement. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us.
I am so glad Alessio was there to be your cameraman. Being able to see your beautiful face alight with excitement filled my week with joy. I'm so pleased for you!!
Nicola - would just like to say that I love the enthusiasm you have for your finds. Wish that I was able to do "Mudlarking" but I live in Louisville Kentucky, on the Ohio river, where it wis not feasible to do this activity. Keep up the great vids, love them. Mike Portman
I loved the new onion bottle! I especially enjoyed the way you tied all of the Georgian items together and wove a picture of life in that time period. Thank you Nicola! #tidelineart
Hi 👋 how are you doing?
So happy for you with your awesome treasure.
Sometimes there just aren't the words...but nobody deserves it more...thank you for sharing this with us!
Well done Nicola! 👏 I couldn't wait for this video. When you posted it on Instagram I thought WOW YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. I saw your video when you found the first one and it took my breath away. You so very much deserved this beautiful bottle. Congratulations!
I'm overwhelmingly happy for you! Wonderful find!
I so enjoyed seeing your sheer joy at this amazing find! Thank you for sharing your immense joy in finding that beautiful glass bottle from centuries ago!
Nicola, my favorite thing about this video HAS TO BE your excitement over finding your onion bottle! A joyous thrill I have no doubt!! Congratulations! #Tidelineart
Wow! An actual onion bottle that you didn't have to reassemble! Great job Nicola! That's fantastic!
I love joining you on your mudlarking trips and learning about your finds and the history surrounding them. I was absolutely drooling over your onion bottles. Always so fascinating. Thank you.
Your channel is wonderfully infectious! Thank you SO much!
I remember how excited I was when you found the first onion bottle and even more so when you glued it all together. This is that excitement trippled! What a fabulous find!
Nicola…I wanted to know what part of a good find is the most satisfying? The history?, the last person to hold it?, the thrill of the chase? Love the channel and your work, plus you are dare I say it, cute.
Your excitement is so palpable. So happy for you!
I must say I got just as excited as you did. How wonderful. What a blessing
I'm so excited, and so happy for you! I'm forever astonished when you unearth relics from so long ago! Good job, you!
Yay !!!! So ,so, chuffed for you Nicola, I was excited for you lol, what a fantastic find, just amazing to find it still in one piece 😀...Awe, Squibble turned up after all
you are such a JOY to watch, thank you for sharing your fabulous experiences with all of us!
Lovely video Nicola. All those wonderful finds, plus an equally interesting history lesson. Thank you so much