big hunk of lead... need some help!

[merg240]

i was out hunting an 1860's property today when i dug this huge piece of lead at about 9". there is a hole drilled down through the top and another hole in the side that was drilled all the way through. any ideas on what it is?

thanks for looking.

 

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[lgadbois]

The holes were for a piece of rope or line. The weight could have been used for a counter-balance of some type, or it may have been a fishing weight.

 

[stefen]

It appears to have been shaped, possibly with a file to obtain a certain weight...place it on a scale and see what the exact weight is (sneak it into the local produce dept of your grocery store).

 

[CRUSADER]

Fishing net weight?

Or could it be those weights they used on old ships to see how deep the ocean is when close to shore??

 

[stefen]

Fishing net weight?

Or could it be those weights they used on old ships to see how deep the ocean is when close to shore??

MARK TWAIN

 

[KTMRIDER]

Fishing net weight?

Or could it be those weights they used on old ships to see how deep the ocean is when close to shore??

Those were called lead lines and usually had a concave bottom that could be filled with grease for determining not only depth but the bottom type, i.e. sand, rock, etc. for anchoring.

As for this item...not a clue.

 

[Montana Jim]

I think a fair description is: "Lead weight with an unknown date and use... ".

 

[bradyboy]

lead sounder weight
http://www.io-warnemuende.de/homepages/waniek/Depths measurements.html

 

[ivan salis]

sounding wieght -- old seaman speaking here to me looks just like a sound weight would have.

 

[Centralvic]

Too small for a sounding lead, I have seen these attached to the end of the warp (or is it the weft) on a loom to keep tension on the
material being woven.