Desk Bell? No/, Knob? Maybe...??? (a few more pics)

[Leon]

Hello all,,,
I got out Sunday for a few hours and found this interesting "What's it". At first I thought it might have been an old desk bell, but it's not very ringy like a bell would be. It's made of brass I believe, and is quite heavy for it's size. The hole in the center is about 3/16" and has threads inside. The diameter is about 2-1/4" and it's about 7/8" tall. On the front it has what looks like a maybe a portrait of "Uncle Sam" between two flags. Not sure about the Uncle Sam part, but it is some old guy with a hat and a long goatee. I haven't seen any markings on it, but it still has a lot of the mean green, & dirt stuck to the inside. I'm going to try and clean it up a bit better and check it out.

I was also thinking it could just be some sort of knob for a dresser, or something like that, but I think it would be kinda of hard to grab hold of if it were sitting smooth against a surface. What ever it is, it looks kind of of old. Any help, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated... Thanks...

P.S.>It's too bad it's broken, but I think I might try to savage the center section, and mount it onto something. Maybe my new treasure chest, if I ever get around to making it.

 

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[jglunt]

Re: Desk Bell? No/, Knob? Maybe...

Could it be one of these...

http://houseofantiquehardware.com/s.nl/sc.10/category.43/.f?GCID=S14464x015&KEYWORD=door%20ringer&partner=gpc&gclid=CMPDueXL34MCFSXeSAodU3-N7w

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Re: Desk Bell? No/, Knob? Maybe...

Leon,

just a thought.

Do not know what they were called. Were used in offices.
They sat on a base, (your item), and had a pointed staff.
When the person was done working with the item, paper,
he or she would impale it on the staff

have a good un............

 

[nhbenz]

Re: Desk Bell? No/, Knob? Maybe...

I tend to agree with Jglunt, thats what came to mind when I saw it. I bet it will have more "ringyness" to it once its cleaned up.

 

[bk]

Re: Desk Bell? No/, Knob? Maybe...

A drawer handle?

 

[Two Dogs]

Re: Desk Bell? No/, Knob? Maybe...

I agree with the doorbell theory. This part wasn't the bell however. The bell was mounted on the inside of the door and this on the outside. This was rotated manually and via a mechanical connection through the door caused the bell to ring. I lived in a house with a similar device and it worked well. Nice find, Two Dogs

 

[Leon]

Re: Desk Bell? No/, Knob? Maybe... ( a Few More pics)

Thanks all,,,
I'm going to have to go along with jglunt on this one also. I can't think of anything else it could be, and that suggestion seems to be very likely. I'd also have to go along with diamondjim, on the fact that the stem in the center is just too short for it to be a drawer pull, or knob. You can see a close up of this in the pic. (upper right)

There was also, as far as I can tell, only one of the tabs sticking out on the inside. ( lower right of pic ) I'm thinking maybe it was to keep it from being turned completely around. I threw in a closeup of the center section also. The more I look at it I'm sure I'm going to try and savage it too use for something. As stated above, I think it would look real nice inlaid into the face of a wooden treasure chest... I think it would add a lot of charactor and a personal touch to it...

Thanks again all for all the comments, and suggestions.
Good luck, & happy hunting~

Ooops, one other thing. I'm pretty sure it is "Uncle Sam" because of the stripes on the top of the hat, and there seems to be stars going around the lower rim... That along with the two flags along side, I just don't think it would be anyone else...

 

[jglunt]

From what I remember of history, Uncle Sam goes all the way back to the war of 1812 and was seen mostly in publications that were opposed to the war.

jg

 

[Leon]

I believe your right again jglunt. If you do a google, you can find a lot of info on him and I did see some pictures of him with stripes on the top of his hat and stars around the lower rim of his hat, but I haven't seen any of the designs that match this one.

Thanks again...
Good luck, & Happy hunting~

 

[rvbvetter]

Reading about it. First thing that came to mind, was a bell that was at the top and sometimes bottom of the old crank telephones.
But after seeing it. I think the doorbell thing might be right. HH