personalized cannonball??

[ravenguide]

Hi everyone,
was out digging in a foundation and out rolled this thing,it is about the size of a soft ball,has two small clips,a hole drilled through,on the scale it is ten pounds!
now it looks like a thick skin of brass,and the rest iron?
any ideas?
Raven

 

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[Montana Jim]

Obviously you know - that ain't no cannonball...

It looks like it's two pieces... Is it solid or hollow iron?

I have no idea...

 

[dg39]

Probably a post top for perhaps a large entrance gate of some type? Any old large estates around the spot you found it?
Too heavy to be a toilet ball.
Another thought, but still to heavy to be a ornate lighting rod top.

DG

 

[Montana Jim]

Another thought, but still to heavy to be a ornate lighting rod top.

I thought of that, and agree it would be too heavy.. but maybe?

I thought most of those were copper or glass...

 

[ravenguide]

Hey,
yes , was thinking some type of top to an estate entrance, but do not know if this was an estate or not,lightning rod top,hmm think to heavy

 

[Bluezman]

Can we get a pic of top/bottom...er...other side?

Bluezman
P.S. Definitely an ornamental piece.

 

[artemis moon]

Looks like an ornamental finial that would top a wrought iron gate-or it could be a canon ball that was worked by a bored soldier. I somehow doubt it though.

 

[wesfrye53]

My first thought was a "smudge pot" that was used years ago instead of flashing signs where there was road work or construction areas. Lighted the area up at night.

here's what looks like yours on eBay:

http://stores.ebay.com/JEFF-CAPPS-A...tation-Collectibles_W0QQfsubZ2022273QQfrsrcZ1

 

[dg39]

I think its solid Wes. No place for coal oil or wick.
DG

 

[wesfrye53]

Well, can't help ya then....looked like it was hollow from the pic. Hopefully someone will ID it for you

 

[Montana Jim]

ravenguide...

Can you take some more picture of it? One of the bottom, one from the side, and possibly (if you can) one of the clip(s) near the top?

Also... is it solid? Could it hold a liquid?

I could see that hanging from a rope/chain handle with a wick sticking out of it. If it was balanced and didnt roll over it certainly could have hung for a lamp, and the weight woulda kept it from blowing around.

I dunno...

 

[watercolor]

Ornamental counter-balance weight for closing a gate maybe? Just guessing.

Neat find!