Relic Hunting Finds & History

Dear Friends, Family, & Readers:

I have had a few people ask me what I have been finding on my long treks through the jungles of Saipan, so I felt it was time to write again.  When I was a young boy, I always wanted to be an archaeologist.  In Saipan, I get to do a little hiking and a little digging, which makes me feel like I am somewhat reliving my childhood.  I am reliving my childhood because as a young boy I would dig up stuff in my back yard and the funny thing was...I found bones!  While in Saipan, I enjoy digging up things other than bone.  After finding old relics, I like to look up the meaning and origin of the things I find.  Here are some of those finds and the history behind them.  If you are someone in Saipan who is bored and doesn't mind hiking, getting cut up, and sweating profusely in the jungle feel free to tag along on one of my outings.  I hope you enjoy the pictures and the history!  

Large battery I found along the cliff line just above the water at Obyan Beach... originally it was stuck between two trees , but I moved it to get a better picture.  It was really heavy.

Insignia on the battery labeling it U.S. made.

Small Amber Colored Owen Illinois- Abbot Lab bottle: Probably circa 1940’s-50’s possibly used during WWII to hold a new form of anti-infective penicillin as Abott Lab was 1 of 5 to be enlisted by the government to do so in 1941.  My mom thought it might be a bottle for iodine, which seems perhaps more plausible.  Either way this bottle would make for a great gift for someone who collects miniatures.  I saw a seller on e-bay selling one for about $10...

This is a D51 Mason Jar Lid Liner.  I grew up with my mom making canned peaches and pears and was under the impression that all canning jar lids were metal.  In the early days, however, they used porcelain liners.  When I found this lid, it was attached to a Mason Jar and the tin lid was attached.  Unfortunately the tin lid broke in my back pack due to rust and degradation. It could have been a collectors item... I may still be able to see the lid to someone who needs it for their collection as they don't make these anymore.

 This is a picture of a large Brushless Shave, Mennen Jar from 1943.  During the war, the troops needed tin for various goods the troops used.  Mennen started to market shaving cream to men in jars at this time in order to conserve and help the war effort. Below is a link to a color archive I found online that shows the Mennen product displayed in a helpful wartime ad:

http://gogd.tjs-labs.com/show-picture?id=1138819668&size=FULL

Possible medicine bottle WWII the patents was taken out before the war in 1931.  When I found this bottle, it had no dropper attached as it had probably been broken in the jungle or disintegrated over time. On the bottom of this bottle is a flag and USA.  The glass bottle also has two small raised circles on one side. I’m not sure what kind of bottle this is.

This bottle is a mystery to me.  It is, however, one of my prized finds because the cap is still attached.  The bottle is extremely small only as tall as my pinky.  I have a hunch that it may be a possible poison bottle due to the three X's on the outside.

This is a WWII TL-122-B Flashlight I found in a poor state of affairs.  During WWII, there were three flashlight types made. There was an earlier "A-Model" that was metal and is probably more valuable.  This model was very common in 1943 and was notorious for a foul smell that came from the plastic.  Perhaps the plastic is the prime reason this model is in as good a shape as it is... 

Saipan Time is also Guam time: