Any Guesses?

[stoney56]

Went to the local club meeting tonight. One member found this item in a field near where a farmhouse used to be. It was moderately deep-about 5-7" and in the hole by itself, no other signals nearby. Ball appears to be either glass or agate and about the size of a small billard ball.

Any ideas? My 1st impression was maybe part of a lightning rod but .

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[BuckleBoy]

My initial hunch is an agate or faux-agate ball foot from the base of a Victorian something. Dimensions, please.

 

[stoney56]

Sorry. Ball is about 3-4" or so. Total length is approximately 10-12" as I recall.

 

[Blind.In.Texas]

That is very neat-o!! I like it. Very pretty. I am no help....

Laater...

 

[Dharmacy]

Part of a lamp finial? Also it appears that it probably had another ball on the other end at one time.

D.

 

[kenb]

I was also going to say part of an oil or gas lamp but at 10" to 12" it would have be a huge lamp, maybe part of a weather vain?

kenb

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Very cool find...I think its a foot from a table also

 

[stoney56]

Sorry. Ball is about 3-4" or so. Total length is approximately 10-12" as I recall.

I stand corrected, . I just called the owner.

The ball is 2 inches, overall length is about 6". The width of the metal is 1" and the hole is 7/16".

OK, no jokes about how big was that fish really. LOL

 

[BuckleBoy]

Victorian agate foot from a lamp stand. Final answer.

 

[silverswede]

Handle from a draught beer tap?

 

[Leon]

Handle from a draught beer tap?

I like this answer,,, tonight anyway :P
One of the lamp ideas seem logical to me...
Either way, don't ya just love the older stuff,, it doesn't really matter what it was,, it still looks good...
Good luck, & Happy hunting~

 

[TreasureTales]

Hmmm, I''m going out on a limb here....I guess it's PART of an ornate HAT RACK.

 

[DiggerBug]

You got me. But I like it!
Does the ball screw off?

 

[stoney56]

You got me. But I like it!
Does the ball screw off?

It's pretty tight but it did turn a bit. His son wants to use the ball as a gear shift knob (don't think that's gonna happen).

 

[EDDE]

there was another ball on the opposite side
the center hole is for a rod for a lamp/hanging or standing

 

[DCMatt]

use the ball as a gear shift knob

That was my first thought. Gear shift knobs like that were popular through the 30's.

DCMatt

 

[PBK]

Don't think it's a furniture foot, as those have a flat surface on the ball. Also, the design strongly suggests that there was originally a matching ball on the opposite threaded post; and the flattened center section, that the piece was mounted on some sort of post or base. I'm inclined to agree with DK that it may be from a lamp or some other eye-level ornamented object.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

I saw an victorian easel mirror once that had glass ball feet...maybe its something like that.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I stand corrected. Matching ball on the other side seems likely. Hmmm.

 

[dg39]

Is there any wear on the top of the ball? I tend to agree with PBK it is not a foot but a top decoration. Bed post?
Lamp, Some type of rack. Early 1900's or slightly before, for sure.
DG