Pitkin Glassworks Excavation Update

ANOTHER "GREAT FEATURE ARTICLE" FROM THE PAGES OF

ANTIQUE BOTTLE AND GLASS COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANTIQUE BOTTLE COLLECTING HOBBY

New plans are currently underway for the archaeological excavation of the Pitkin Glassworks building in Manchester, Connecticut during the year 2001! The excavation will take place under the direction of the Manchester Historical Society and headed by Mr. Thomas D. Duff, Jr. The planned labor force will consist of archaeology students from a nearby university supervised by a professional archaeologist and several volunteers.

A hectic scene around the “sifter”.

The event was headed by Mr. Thomas D. Duff, Jr.

(seen standing directly behind the girl on

the right side of photo) and videotaped (man on the right).

On September 25^th, 1999 a line of holes were dug along the back edge of the Pitkin Glassworks property in order to plant a row of trees. Each hole was about 2' wide by 2 1/2' deep. The row of trees would help block out the neighboring houses and provide a more serene setting for the Glassworks ruins.

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Duff, Jr. at their booth on Manchester's Heritage Day.

Tom had a small display of Pitkin bottles and glassmaking tools.

Under the direction of Mr. Thomas D. Duff, Jr. a group of volunteers was formed to sort through the soil excavated from the holes in hopes of finding pieces of Pitkin glass. The soil from the holes was shoveled into large buckets and dumped into a homemade “sifter” (a large wood frame with handles and a wire mesh bottom). Teenage volunteers provided most of the sifting labor. The glass shards and slag were removed and placed in containers. Many pottery fragments were encountered, but unfortunately they were dumped back into the piles of soil. I was informed that time was a major factor here and the main objective was to find glass shards attributed to the Glassworks.

Mrs. Duff placing pieces of Pitkin glass slag into the sales box.

For 50¢ an excavated piece of Pitkin glass along with a

brief history of the glassworks could be had.

A variety of glass shards and slag fragments were found. Most significant were: a neck from a bright yellow-olive chestnut with a crude blobby top, a few small fragments of a yellow-olive sunburst flask, and a shard from a light olive-amber Pitkin flask! These were turned over to the Manchester Historical Society for safekeeping. The less significant shards and fragments were offered for sale at 50¢ each as souvenirs of the Pitkin Glassworks during Manchester's Heritage Day events with the proceeds to benefit the Manchester Historical Society.

The Heritage Day activities took place in the parking lot across from Manchester's Fire Museum, on the corner of Main Street and Hartford Road. A fun-fair atmosphere prevailed for all with entertainment, activities, sales booths and fine food ranging from New England clam chowder to barbecued ribs. Fine homemade baked goods and preserves were also sold to raise money for the town.

Hopefully the future excavations will start this Spring. The interior of the building will be laid out in a geometric grid pattern and the laborious tasks of digging, sifting, cleaning, sorting and recording will begin again. We can only wait to see what finds the future excavations will uncover!

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