Thin section
From Lynch (2009): “From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick does not have a brickmaker’s stamp, although it is likely that the brick dates to the 1820s. This sample is a regular brick, has rough edges, and is struck from stretcher to stretcher across the bedding face. The strike marks on the brick indicate that it was struck with a wooden striker, which is consistent with the period. The 21 lack of sand in the surface indicates that water was used as a molding lubricant. Given these characteristics, the brick appears to have been hand-moulded using the soft mud method.”
From Lynch (2009): “From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick does not have a brickmaker’s stamp, although it came out of the roof of Pelican Mutual Benevolent Society Tomb. This sample is a regular brick and is struck across the bedding face. It is unclear which direction the brickmaker struck the brick, but it was done with a wire. This brick appears to have been extruded, and the lack of sand in the surface indicates that oil was used as a molding lubricant. Given these characteristics, the brick appears to have been produced by extrusion using the stiff-mud machine and repressed.”
From Lynch (2009): “From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick was recovered from a brick stable on the property that was built in 1854. The brick does not have a brickmaker’s stamp, although it is likely that the brick is the same age as the stable. This sample is a regular in shape brick, has sharp-pressed edges, and is struck from header to header across the bedding face. The strike marks on the brick indicate that it was struck with a metal striker, which is consistent with the period. The presence of sand in the surface indicates that sand was used as a molding lubricant. Given these characteristics, the brick appears to have been made through extrusion using a stiff-mud machine.”
From Lynch (2009): “From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick does not have a brickmaker’s stamp, and the age is unknown. This sample is a fire brick, has sharp-pressed edges, and is struck from header to header across the bedding face. The strike marks on the brick indicate that it was struck with a wire. The lack of sand in the surface indicates that oil was used as a molding lubricant. Given these characteristics, the brick appears to have been extruded through a stiff-mud machine.”
From Lynch (2009): “From initial observation, the red color seems to indicate that the clay came from the Mississippi River. The brick does not have a brickmaker’s stamp, although it is likely that the brick dates to the 1820s. This sample is a regular brick, has rounded edges, and is struck from header to header across the bedding face. The strike marks on the brick indicate that it was struck with a wooden striker, which is consistent with the period. The lack of sand in the surface indicates that water was used as a molding lubricant. Given these characteristics, the brick appears to have been hand-moulded using the soft-mud method.”