Unknown brass piece

[Woodland Detectors]

This one is interesting. It reads "ETNA no.1" Aetna? Any Ideas?

 

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[Blacksheep]

Going to s.w.a.g. one here, sewing machine tool.

 

[warsawdaddy]

Going to s.w.a.g. one here, sewing machine tool.

Good swag! I was going to guess a tool or part for a Etna 1 tube mill.

 

[traderoftreasures]

how in the, what in the ?

 

[One mans trash...]

The sewing machine idea may be right. Here's one Aetna machine. I don't immediately see a part like that, but there were no doubt other models, as it was once a large maker, large enough that the founder gave land for a railroad so his workers could get to the plant in Pearl River from New York City.

 

[Kansas]

Probably wrong, but it almost looks like the piece going up from the foot peddle in the picture One mans trash posted

 

[savant365]

There was also an Aetna Arms co. in New York. It might have something to do with firearms? Very interesting find, can't wait to see it ID'ed.

HH Charlie

 

[Blacksheep]

There was also an Aetna Arms co. in New York. It might have something to do with firearms? Very interesting find, can't wait to see it ID'ed.

HH Charlie

Saw the firearms company but ruled that out due to the designs on the whats-it as it appears "feminine"

 

[savant365]

There was also an Aetna Arms co. in New York. It might have something to do with firearms? Very interesting find, can't wait to see it ID'ed.

HH Charlie

Saw the firearms company but ruled that out due to the designs on the whats-it as it appears "feminine"

Some of them fellers back then liked purty things too ya know

 

[Blacksheep]

There was also an Aetna Arms co. in New York. It might have something to do with firearms? Very interesting find, can't wait to see it ID'ed.

HH Charlie

Saw the firearms company but ruled that out due to the designs on the whats-it as it appears "feminine"

Some of them fellers back then liked purty things too ya know

::hand cupped to ear::: Do I hear banjo`s?

 

[One mans trash...]

Probably wrong, but it almost looks like the piece going up from the foot peddle in the picture One mans trash posted

I thought about that, because it could accomodate a rod in the socket aligned with the body and the other end could turn the wheel. But it doesn't look like a very good deign with the offset. Looks like it would be under a lot of strain. And it's just a bit small. If someone could find good photos of an Aetna "No. 1" machine, it might become clear.

Considered the firearms company, too, but the No. 1 was a small revolver, and this can't be part of that, nor would the revolver need any kind of tool like this. Doesn't mean they didn't make other products, though.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Given the amount of ornamentation on this piece, it should be a visible part or piece which could be seen with a careful eye on a photo.


I'm looking through patents now. Hopefully I'll be able to turn something up.


Regards,



Buckles

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I couldnt find any patents for Aetna or Etna sewing machine.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I couldnt find any patents for Aetna or Etna sewing machine.

But there are patents issued to the company's founder.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Aetna Sewing Machine Works ca. 1867-1877

Founded by Julius E. Braunsdorf in Pearl River, Mass.

Before getting into the sewing machine business, Braunsdorf was originally the postmaster there.


Here's a lithograph of Braunsdorf's home





An advertisement for an Aetna Sewing Machine:






And a contemporaneous Singer Sewing Machine advertisement that will give you an idea of the number of machines Aetna's 100 employees could make in a year:







It looks like some of Braunsdorf's patents were for "electric dynamos" and spinning machines as well as sewing machines. I don't know if his factory made anything else besides sewing machines or not...it was such a small operation, perhaps it didn't.



Again, I think this piece should be prominent, or at least visible. I imagine it was a functional working part, judging by its construction. And as a working part, I should be able to find something similar on a sewing machine of the same rough time frame. So what's taking forever is looking through sewing machine patents from 1860 to 1880.



Hopefully something will turn up. Too bad the holes in it aren't at right angles and outward from each other. If that were the case, it would be an easy ID as a hand crank for a non-treadle model.



Best Wishes,



Buckles

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Maybe this piece huh?

 

[BuckleBoy]

Yes--something obvious like that.


Notice that this is brass, and many of the structural components of these machines were iron. That should help us too.



I think your guess is a good one, 4-H.