Hey Mark,
I do not have any particular grey literature for you to cite, but I can tell you that I cite USPTO information quite often for late-19th and 20th century sites that I deal with during CRM surveys for highway projects and mining sites in Alaska. Since everything up here that pre-dates 1960 is generally reviewable as historic vs. recent sites, I find the USPTO information a good place to start to find a "start" date for brand names or a manufacturing process, and for names of the companies that originally produced the products that are often later gobbled up later by larger corporations like General Foods. As many of the startup companies and factories are later acquired or (bought out to shut down their competition) by these later and often international corporations, there is quite a "data gap" between the original company and its present-day suitor.
Particularily, in the case of my "analysis" of mass-produced food or package containers of the 20th century, I also use the patent information to distinguish two different dates; one usually being the trademark or process patented for the container-manufacturers vs. the product often labeled on the container (or identified with the container - like Log Cabin syrup cans); or very similar to the topic of the "historic condom" packaging vs. trademark names going on on Histarch right now.
So in the case of the Alaska Highway or mining site work the I have been involved in recently, I use the dating information to establish intra site horizontal stratigraphy of sites that could have a 1940s construction component (i.e. construction camps, both military and civilian workers for highways) or sporadic mining activities that occur on mineral claims. So I could have a 1920s mining component that was abandoned and then followed by a second 1950s component, a 1960s and later components whose deposits are usually all surface features but demonstrate site formation or landscape use.
I think you will find that much of the Bureau of Reclamation "construction camp" grey or published literature in the Western US usually contains trademark lists or even illustations that the investigators pulled together to conduct their individual analyses on artifacts, particularily the work of William Hampton Adams at Silcott, WA and the Mary and Adrian Praetzellis work in urban California (Sonoma College and CALTRANS), and others. I hope this helps.
-----Original Message-----
>From: Mark Hoey <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Mar 8, 2013 4:42 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Post-Nineteenth Century Assemblages with Patented artefacts
>
>Daniel,
>This more elaborate use of patent information in archaeology is exactly the sort of texts I am trying to find, I really appreciate the assistance.
>Regards,Mark
>
>> Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 13:03:02 +0000
>> From: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Post-Nineteenth Century Assemblages with Patented artefacts
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>
>> Mark,
>> I actually used patent information found online from Australia's own patent office, since they had the only info I could find on a particular object I found buried a couple of feet down in sediment in Elliott County, Kentucky. The information showed clearly that the object I had found (an embossed aluminum disk from a company that manufactured men's clothing accessories) post-dated 1968. So - thanks for that!
>>
>> The best use of patent information I've seen generally has been associated with historic cemetery excavation, with a specific example being Mainfort and Davidson's 2006 report "Two Historic Cemeteries in Crawford County, Arkansas" (Arkansas Archaeological Survey Research Series No. 62. James Davidson's patent research on historic period coffin hardware and coffins themselves is fantastic. Check his MA and PhD as well. As someone who bumps into historic cemetery relocations on a regular basis (going out to look at two cemeteries today), I doff my chapeau to Dr. Davidson on a regular basis.
>>
>> Daniel B. Davis
>> Archaeologist Coordinator
>> Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
>> Division of Environmental Analysis
>> 200 Mero Street
>> Frankfort, KY 40622
>> (502) 564-7250
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark Hoey
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 8:17 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Post-Nineteenth Century Assemblages with Patented artefacts
>>
>> Thanks for replying Monique,
>> At the moment I am simply trying to compile a list of archaeological texts that, to some degree, reference original letters patents in artefact analysis or site interpretation, ultimately I am looking at how patent information is utilised by historical archaeologists (thus your reports would be relevant to what I'm looking for). I understand the request potentially encompasses an enormous breadth of work, but that may be more beneficial to me than not.
>>
>> Regards,Mark
>>
>> > Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2013 01:01:32 +0000
>> > From: [log in to unmask]
>> > Subject: Re: Post-Nineteenth Century Assemblages with Patented artefacts
>> > To: [log in to unmask]
>> >
>> > Mark,
>> >
>> > I have included US patent information (utility and design) from the late 19th and 20th centuries in several reports (survey and mitigation/excavation). What type of information are you looking for in particular?
>> >
>> > Monique
>> >
>> > Monique E. Kimball, M.A., RPA
>> > Kautz Environmental Consultants, Inc.
>> > 1140 Financial Blvd., Suite 100
>> > Reno, NV 89502
>> > (775) 829-4411
>> > e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark Hoey
>> > Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 4:12 PM
>> > To: [log in to unmask]
>> > Subject: Re: Post-Nineteenth Century Assemblages with Patented artefacts
>> >
>> > Edit: I should clarify, I am seeking post-nineteenth century sites and assemblages, not texts written from that time period.
>> >
>> > From: [log in to unmask]
>> > To: [log in to unmask]
>> > Subject: Post-Nineteenth Century Assemblages with Patented artefacts
>> > Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2013 10:39:55 +1030
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Good Morning,
>> > Apologies in advance for the rather vague request, but I am seeking recommendations on post-nineteenth century reports/texts that specifically reference patented artefacts and materials within a site. I am not necessarily phased on the volumes of the objects themselves, but simply that references are made to the letters patent in the report (used for dating, identification, etc.). Ideally these would relate to Australian sites; however, the absence of such reports has made me widen my parameters. I would greatly appreciate any and all assistance people can offer.
>> > Regards,Mark
>>
>
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