✅ SOLVED I Hope You Guys Know, Cuz I Haven't a Clue...

[Bucket Lister]

3" Long, 1" Dia. Main housing seems to be cast--non-magnetic.
I'm thinking maybe an engine/tractor part(?) but I was never much of a gearhead.
Lensing came up zero.

 

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[Retired Sarge]

Thank you, sarge. Nice side by side crop

Thank you, glad I could do something small to solidify your ID.

 

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[Bucket Lister]

FWIW...
I did a little more poking around, and by lensing
mmocha2905's pic, found quite a few examples at different auction houses and museums.

One source called it a "button operated latch chuck, 1875-1885". So far, that's the only date range I've seen.

 

[ARC]

That may be. I thought the scallops were broken out, but closer inspection suggests they're cutouts.

to me it looked like a chair caster with the wheel deteriorated and gone.
But now after matching up to Sarge and mmocha it looks like a dead on match.

Good call mmocha... and good match up Sarge.

 

[TORRERO]

That's AMAZING !! How do you guys find shit like this

 

[Bucket Lister]

That's AMAZING !! How do you guys find shit like this

Do you mean the artifact, or finding out what it is?

I ask the former almost daily; I've had a really dry month and ATM only the one permission (but I think I could spend 10 years on just that one). Folks on this forum seem to routinely find stuff I only hope for.

How they know or find this stuff?
We all have different life experiences, knowledge, & strengths.