Hard tan brick

From Lynch (2009): “From initial observation, the tan color seems to indicate that the clay came from Lake Pontchartrain. The sample also has iron spots on the surface that possibly could have been added in the mix during production. The brick does not have a brickmaker’s stamp, although it is likely that the brick dates to the 1830s. This sample is regular in shape and has sharp edges, although the striking direction is unclear. 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 moulded using a soft-mud machine.”