Probably a wheel from a toy, but how old?

[cti4sw]

Thread removed by original poster.

 

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[diggummup]

Strange pattern for a spoke wheel, could be though I guess. Here's a few examples- Wheels - Thomas Toys Antique Toy Parts

 

[cti4sw]

The consensus on Facebook is that it's from a bridle rosette, but I feel like it's too big. Anyone have thoughts on that?

 

[artemis moon]

interior wheel to an old gyroscope?

 

[cti4sw]

interior wheel to an old gyroscope? <img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=979000"/>

That's interesting. Never would have thought of that.

 

[gunsil]

interior wheel to an old gyroscope? View attachment 979000

I was thinking the same thing, especially since it seems to be soft like perhaps pot metal. Hey Artemis, you learned that Safari yet??

 

[yaxthri]

I think this could be church related, so the fact it was found on church grounds is relative.

This is a very popular shape in gothic architecture and ornamentation, some examples of decorative arches of gothic church windows.



It looks to me more like some broken decoration off of some religious object maybe. Gothic architecture was popular in the middle ages in Europe and in Catholicism so the Lutheran Church did not embrace this style, later on there was a neo-gothic revival in the 1920's-'30's... Can't say for sure, just some thoughts.

 

[cti4sw]

I think this could be church related, so the fact it was found on church grounds is relative.

This is a very popular shape in gothic architecture and ornamentation, some examples of decorative arches of gothic church windows.

It looks to me more like some broken decoration off of some religious object maybe. Gothic architecture was popular in the middle ages in Europe and in Catholicism so the Lutheran Church did not embrace this style, later on there was a neo-gothic revival in the 1920's-'30's... Can't say for sure, just some thoughts.

My initial thought after I dug it was to look up at the stained glass windows to see if there was any similarity. Despite the rim's design, the inner spokes didn't really point me to a standard wheel. However, what made me think it was a wheel was the roundness and circular symmetry of the outside rim; it just said "wheel" in my head; I didn't get the impression it was removed or part of anything bigger due to this simple feature. I'm genuinely stumped by this.

To those who considered the metal, I don't know much about pot metal to comment in that regard. I thought it was lead because of the coloring under the faded, flaking paint and that I could bend the broken spokes. I suppose pewter is flexible too so it could be that as well. It does feel heavier than it should.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Cti4sw wrote:
> To those who considered the metal, I don't know much about pot metal to comment in that regard.

Cti4sw, pot-metal is a low-priced "White-Metal" alloy. For education, read this short (5 paragraphs) article at Wikipedia:
Pot metal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


1- Manufacturers of cheaply-priced products MUST use cheaply-priced ingredients.
2- "Pot-metal" is the cheapest non-iron metal.
Those two reasons are why pot-metal is most often chosen for casting the non-iron parts of inexpensive metal toys and other objects, such as metal buttons and belt buckles. The problem is, because zinc and lead are typically the main ingredients in pot-metal, it is a comparatively weak, brittle metal. Your broken wheel (or whats-it) is evidence of that brittleness.

I should mention, pot-metal tends to corrode more rapidly in the ground than other metals.

I should also mention, pot-metal was comparatively rarely used before the 1900s. Therefore, when we dig a pot-metal object, the odds are VERY high that it is from sometime in the 1900s.

 

[cti4sw]

Thanks, CBG! If it is pot metal, it would lend credence to yaxthri's idea about the Lutheran Church's neo-Gothic ornamentation resurgence in the 1920s.

Any idea what it could have come from in this regard?