Mudlarking, the act of searching the Thames foreshore for items of value, has a long tradition in England's capital. In the late 18th and 19th centuries, mudlarks were small boys grubbing a living from scrap. Today’s mudlarks unearth relics of the past from the banks of the Thames which tell stories of Londoners throughout history. From Roman tiles to elegant Georgian pottery, presented here are modern-day mudlark Ted Sandling's most evocative finds, gorgeously photographed. Together they create a mosaic of everyday London life through the centuries, touching on the journeys, pleasures, vices, industries, adornments and comforts of a world city. This unique and stunning book celebrates the beauty of small things, and makes sense of the intangible connection that found objects give us to the individuals who lost them. I fully recommend this book. It was a topic I knew little about and now find it fascinating!

Love the idea of Mudlarking treasure hunting for bits of history on the Thames.This was a fun book to learn history from learn about the arts of mudlarking.A book I will be gifting. #netgalley#quarto

Have you ever heard about the original mudlarks? They searched for treasures left behind in the Thames. The most traditional mudlarks were young boys in the 1800s who were looking to find anything that might bring them a bit of money. Now in the 21st century we still have mudlarks. Their finds tell the story of London’s history.

Readers will enjoy learning more about the finds of the mudlarks as they read this fascinating book. Things found include everything from clay pipes to tableware to wine bottlenecks to tea pots and so much more. These objects are fully described by the book’s author.

This title is packed with information and history. There is also an extensive bibliography. I wish that there had been photos but perhaps there will be in the published copy of this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

Fantastic! This is an absolute treasure of a book as are some of the discoveries made whilst mudlarking on the Thames.

I found out about mudlarking about two years ago thanks to the YouTube algorithm and I frequently watch mudlarking videos today.

I found Sandling's little book to be quite charming but not as gripping.. maybe because I didn't have the pictures I'm guessing will be/are in the published, physical copy and only from previous knowledge of how certain items look (because of YouTube) I could paint a picture before me. What I enjoyed was Sandling's obvious love for his hobby, and that he really enjoys being on the foreshore finding small pieces of history. As someone who works in a historical building I am familiar with the feeling of a sort-of remembrance - a knowing that people has walked the same floors as I do over the past 700 years.

However, I perhaps, wasn't as entertained by this as I thought I would, therefore the three star rating.

Such a fun book! I love history and antiques and this book is one I plan to add to my shelves. Lots of great details about items and good historical background on London and the Thames. So glad I got to read this book and again - I plan on getting it when its released.

Easily one of my favorite books of the year. Perfect for fans of travel writing, memoir, and nature writing.

Who wouldn't be tickled to find treasure the Thames has left behind, along with layer upon layer of history and stories? Man, if they could talk. The author defines mudlarking and explains guidelines and etiquette. He also details his own wondrous experiences and finds, including his favourite.

Hundreds of years ago, the original mudlarkers searched for anything they could sell to make a bit of money. Now scouring is for pleasure and, I'm sure, can be a personal challenge. Tides amazingly can bring in Bronze Age swords and skulls, posy rings, pottery and coins. What can be learned from these finds is incredible! The author says he loves broken fragments...and I can understand that. Where else can you find a nineteenth century smoking pipe, bone toothbrush, delftware and a fossilized sea urchin in one day? In their time they may have been everyday objects but laden with meaning and mystique to us now.

This book is chock full of fascinating information from thrilling history about what was created when and how these objects impacted the world (the London Poor during Charles Dickens' time, Silk Road, chocolate making, Portuguese voyages, wine making) and personal anecdotes. I learned about the raspberry prunt, torpedo bottle, glass cullet, peruke, bisque dolls and porringers and the significance of brass pins. The explanation of sea glass is intriguing...my assumption was incorrect!

"Finding is a hunger." Yes! When we find treasures we tend to let our imaginations run. A fragment of pottery is surely a Roman urn and a glimmering stone must be a precious gem. The author's enthusiasm really captivated me. If you are enthralled by history and the unexpected, read this book! The only drawback is that my copy had no photos to correspond with the descriptions. I researched what I didn't know as I am a visual person.

My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this absorbing book!

What I think of as mudlarking finds would be ships nails, bits of pottery, tile, and glass, and the general detritus of centuries of life on and around the Thames. I wouldn't think of chunks of the previous Houses of Parliament so big you wouldn't get them on a plane as hand-luggage. Our author has, or has had, them all, and this book is a look at all the finds he's cared to mention for their snippet of history they provide. It's a format that will be all-too familiar to people who remember the likes of Neil McGregor's "A History of the World in 100 Objects", which had the same intent of providing an all-encompassing look at the title subject through building up snapshots from things of interest.

This is exactly the same, mind, except I have to take it on advisement there will be said snapshots – my copy was without any illustrations whatsoever. All I got was a short paragraph of description, and a couple of hundred words regarding each object's finding and what it would have been when new. The text is fine, but I do not pretend to know why the illustrations were not ready. Separate sections, such as the social history of the smoker's pipe, are fine without, and the end product may look amazing, but I have to report what I felt on finding plain text. And I was left with some fascinating incidental trivia that provided the flourishes here – such as the man behind Schweppes' name being a watchmaker of all things; the leftie politicking was much less appealing.

Super cool book about history and finding it. I loved all the little lessons in history he gave about all the objects.

I received A Mudlark's Treasures as part of a NetGalley giveaway.

Mudlarking is the hobby of scouring the foreshores of the Thames at low tide for artifacts left over the course of thousands of years. In this volume, Ted Sandling examines some of the many finds he's collected over the years, in the process contextualizing the many histories that London contains.

This was a charming, quick, educational read. I love material culture, and the fascinating insights you can gain into the past simply by examining what's been left behind. As an American, I have little hope of actually mudlarking in London, but had I been born English, it would definitely be Extremely My Thing. In lieu of that, I love living vicariously through narratives like these.

Mudlarking, for those who don’t know, is the hunt for archaeological treasures on the banks of the Thames. The center of commerce for centuries, the Thames has many secrets and on a good day, at low tide, treasure hunters may turn up either the mundane or the divine. From pipestems to button to Roman glassware, Sandling has found some amazing things in his mudlarking, and here he shares them with readers. With an introduction into the history of London and of Mudlarking, the author then segues into showing photos of some of his many finds, along with fascinating stories about their history. A must read for anyone who loves the past and the thrill of the hunt