Our third big Green Box of 2024 is now here! This week we have a designer that most you know but a product that is new! William Henry is a studio that tells stories through timeless pieces, and our first watch design is a testament to that intention. The Legacy watch collection is a perfect blend of form and function, built around the extraordinary materials that have defined us. This limited-edition model features a dial crafted from fossil mammoth tooth, relic of the giant that roamed the Earth 10,000 years ago. Occasionally discovered on the sea floor or riverbeds, each tooth or remnant must dry for about 2 years before we can start to work with it. Vacuum stabilized with resin, the finished dial reveals unique patterns and colors that have been waiting 10,000 years to become a timeless story on your wrist. The dial is housed in a forged Damascus case, built with 300 layers of stainless-steel alloys and etched to reveal a swirling tapestry in metal. The case is finished with a sapphire crystal and exhibition back revealing the Swiss automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve. Water resistance is rated to 10 ATM/100 meters, and the hand-crafted crocodile leather strap features a custom stainless deployment clasp for easy wear and adjustment. The box finder will receive this hand-forged Damascus automatic wristwatch with a Woolly Mammoth fossil dial that has a retail price of $5495.
Green Box Status :: Has been found.
In the heart of Edgefield County, South Carolina, the stories of Abner Landrum, David Drake, and the village of Pottersville weave together to form a narrative rich with history, art, and the complexities of antebellum Southern life. Abner Landrum, born in 1785, was not only a physician but also an entrepreneur whose interests spanned across various fields like science, agriculture, and pottery. He established one of the first significant stoneware factories in the region, introducing the alkaline glazing technique which was pivotal for creating durable, safe, waterproof pottery essential for the plantation economy. The alkaline glazing method replaced the dangerous and expensive lead-based glazes that were previously used. This innovation in combination with water, timber and a wonderful deposit of kaolin, helped gave birth to Pottersville, a community centered around the pottery industry, where both free and enslaved workers contributed to the local economy. Landrum's vision made Pottersville a bustling hub with around 150 residents at its peak, producing thousands of pottery pieces annually, which were integral for storage and daily use in the surrounding plantations.
Among the workers in this industry was David Drake, known also as "Dave the Potter" or "Dave the Slave," an exceptional figure whose life story encapsulates the cultural and artistic contributions of enslaved African Americans in the South. Born around 1801, Drake's literacy was a rarity and a defiance against the laws of the time that banned teaching slaves to read or write. His connection with Landrum, who was said to be his owner at an early age, possibly facilitated his education. It’s also thought that the ability to read was tied to faith and religion so that Dave would be able to read the Bible. Physically, it’s thought that Dave only had one leg (there are different theories how that happened whether an incident with train or through abuse) and in order to run the potter’s wheel Dave was paired with the another man that only had the use of his legs. Drake's pottery, especially his notably large, inscribed jars, stands out not only for its craftsmanship but also for the personal inscriptions he dared to leave on them, including his name, date, and sometimes poetic couplets, thereby asserting his identity and humanity in a system designed to deny both. His work under various owners, including at the Stony Bluff pottery under Lewis Miles, continued to showcase his remarkable skill, making his pieces now cherished artifacts of American folk art.
The legacy of Pottersville, Abner Landrum, and David Drake together paints a picture of a unique intersection of industry, art, and human spirit in the American South. Drake was known for helping out at Landrums newspaper and drake was also fond of Landrum. Pottersville, though less known today, represents an early form of industrial and communal living centered around a craft that was both utilitarian and artistic. Landrum's impact on the pottery techniques and local economy was profound, while Drake's work serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience and creativity of individuals within the oppressive confines of slavery. Their intertwined histories highlight not just the production of pottery but also the narratives of innovation, resistance, and cultural expression in Edgefield, South Carolina, a testament to the complex tapestry of American history.
This box was located at the intersection near the old Landrum home in Aiken which we are thrilled to hear as of last year has the plans become a living history museum dedicated to Edgefield Pottery.
#1 Clue, Friday Dec. 12th :: The use of poison would lead to discovery.
The elder Ferrell spotted a huge, handmade brick covered with red mud that had been pushed up by the discs and without a second thought, heaved it to one side. Some weeks later, after a rain shower, Steve Ferrell was spraying Roundup to keep the weeds down and spotted the brick again. The rain had washed off the mud and revealed what appeared to be writing on one side. He showed it to his father and closer examination resulted in mental pandemonium and verbal jubilation for the Ferrells, who had seen examples of such handwriting many times during their long association with pottery forms from the old Edgefield District of South Carolina. "There was no doubt in our minds that the April 18 date spelled out on the brick was written by Dave the slave," said Steve Ferrell, a master potter at the Old Edgefiel Pottery. "We think he may have used the brick as a slate on which to practice his penmanship."
*SPECIAL NOTE* Tunnel vision happens both ways (we get stuck on a clue from hunter’s perspective and from the hider’s perspective) and I was focused on a jug of Roundup which led to the discovery of the rain washed-clean brick inscribed by Dave that may be the most valuable brick on the planet. In turn… Abner developed an alternate, alkaline glaze that was revolutionary to the lead-based poisonous glaze. Two different paths would lead box hunters to the Pottersville location. I was in meltdown mode all Friday thinking that someone would easily find Green Box #3 in adherence to the 24hr rule - we were already planning out the extra box and working on an additional prize, I got lucky and slipped through and rewrote clear
#2 Clue, Saturday Dec. 13th :: You'll find me in the heart of a place with no tree.
The box was across the street from the old Pottersville grounds in the center of the intersection. There are no trees, but there is a bush and this box was at the base the bush.
#3 Clue, Sunday Dec. 14th :: Strange lights and sounds evoked fear, but these times were preceded by a scripture reference.
In November of 1858, Dave had written on a vessel “I saw a Leopard, & a lions face, then I felt the need the need of —— Grace. Daniel 7 was thought to be the source of this, and it mentioned how this dream/vision was concerning passing judgment on the world. He wrote this same verse two years later on another piece of pottery. In the book Carolina Clay, on page 145 it talks about how this was nearing a time of the civil war. In December of 1860, near the time of the second inscription an odd thing happened in Edgefield, the sky turned red as a sheet of blood, some hearing music but it was very rare occurrence of aurora borealis. Many people didn’t know what the phenomenon was and were afraid. Some of the others thought said that they had heard of the same experience prior to the revolutionary war… and that it was a sign that war was coming.
#4 Clue, Monday Dec. 16th :: In relation to that which was revealed to those who were linked.
As the Landrum pottery industry became more successful, more people wanted to capitalize on it. But the families who owned the potteries were very secretive about how it was done. That's how the Clay Clans were born. "Again, if you wanted to come down, like Thomas Chandler, and you wanted to learn how to make Edgefield Pottery, you had to marry into the families in order to gain access to those recipes. Which were very very protected. So you'd see all these different families getting intermarried," Tonya said. - WJBF
#5 Clue, Tuesday Dec. 17th :: The box is found in one of a series of triangles.
There is intersection at Meeting street and Crest street, from above you’ll see the three big triangles and 2 small ones. The largest triangle has a single stone monument to Pottersville. The box was located in the bush in one of the other triangles.
Also, if you want to learn more about the game or haven't signed up for the daily clue to be sent you, you may do so here. Also the Green Box will be not just hidden, but well disguised. Also, there is Facebook group for hunters that can be found here. Please, note that only the first clue of the week will be posted on our social media. Visit Windsor Fine Jewelers today at 2635 Washington Rd, Augusta, GA 30904 or call us at (706) 738-7777. If you want to read about the mini green boxes visit www.minigreenbox.com