Cast iron half ball

[Nail Digger]

This thing's been in the family for years. My grandfather believed believed it to be half of some sort of cannonball. I'm not sure this is the case, as I haven't seen anything like it in my somewhat limited research on artillery projectiles. It's 3 7/8" in diameter and weighs 3 pounds and 11 ounces. It has three concentric "steps" on one end only. The half-round groove down the center is 3/8" in diameter. There is a slight 1/8" rim around the perimeter of the flat face. The flat face isn't perfectly cast, being a little concave in one area. I'm hoping it's history is more glamorous than it's current role of paperweight.

 

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[dg39]

1/3 of an old Pawn shop sign.
They were three balls on a frame that hang down to signify a pawn shop.

 

[relicreb]

Do you think it has been cut in half or made that way. It looks to me like it would be very hard to cut a cannon ball in half?

 

[gldhntr]

have seen 2 peice cannonballs in a museum but it was more or less hollow inside each peice with a peice of chain about 1 ft long with end links welded to the inside of each peice, so when shot it spread out and ruined everything in its path........gldhntr

 

[Nail Digger]

Do you think it has been cut in half or made that way. It looks to me like it would be very hard to cut a cannon ball in half?

It definitely was cast in it's current form, as a hemisphere. Even though I haven't seen any projectiles made in this way, could it possibly have been a round that was designed to split after exiting the muzzle to have greater impact on infantry, etc. by skipping across the ground? Maybe the center groove and steps being used to secure the two halves to a base for loading and firing? Just guessing. I have seen bar shot that consisted of two hemispheres connected by a solid bar or chain, for destroying ship's rigging. However, this item doesn't have anything that would enable it to be attached to another half. Anyway, I can't imagine of what use the steps would be in this application.

 

[trk5capt]

Maybe A Counter Weight For An Old Scale. trk5capt...

 

[Nail Digger]

Maybe A Counter Weight For An Old Scale. trk5capt...

Possible. At 7 pounds and 6 ounces, two halves would amount to an odd weight, though. Of course, I suppose the scale could've been designed to weigh in something other than pounds and ounces.

Not meaning to be stuck on the cannon ball idea, but does anybody know if the 3 7/8" diameter of this thing would be consistent for 8 pounder cannon fodder? Isn't the bore size 4" for these?

 

[hollowpointred]

Here's a thought.

Perhaps, a "finial" for a wrought iron fence. To fit between the top and bottom rail and not on the top of fence.

The pic provided is a 2 part.

Unable to find a round one that it's 2 part. Still looking.

http://www.decorativeiron.com/?a11=CAST IRON&a10=SPEARS, FINIALS, CAPS&a8=5 INCH

Tony

thats what i was thinking. a decorative piece of some sort.