Weird brass object??

[Courtzzy]

I found this yesterday at a very old home site buried up against a tree. My fiancé and I have no idea what it is? It looks like it could be old? But also looks to me like some piece of old equipment or machinery? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. It may not even be old! It was just an odd piece we’ve never seen before. Thanks!!

 

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[Mud Hut]

Kinda looks like an air valve off of an old radiator.

 

[Courtzzy]

That’s a good guess! The shape is just so strange, and it’s solid and heavy. Looks to be solid brass?? But I’m not 100% sure. It rang really good though!! Lol

 

[vhs07]

Maybe a decorative piece to hold an old bell to it's bracket?

 

[Retired Sarge]

Finial from a stair post, finial from a gate or fence......

 

[Tony in SC]

Does the cap on the end have a hole in it?

 

[cudamark]

Finial from a stair post, finial from a gate or fence......

That was my thought also, or, maybe part of a fireplace andiron.

 

[DCMatt]

I think it's a finial off the top of a flyball governor. From a large steam engine...

 

[Courtzzy]

Oh wow. Yea it looks almost just like that! Even has the same nut shape at the base? That’s why I thought it was some type of machinery piece because the bottom is shaped like a nut and so is the top? But the sides of the top have been ground flat it looks like? It’s very strange. But I think that’s the closest guess so far! Just strange as to why it would be at the base of a tree in the front yard? But the house is from the 1830’s and has a ton of Civil War history. We were hoping it was something civil war related. Lol. Who knows!!!

 

[DCMatt]

The shaft broke under pressure so it likely flew some distance from the engine. These were used on tractor engines as well. Turn of the 20th C. give or take a couple decades.

 

[cudamark]

Are there attachment points on the sides of the hex areas? I didn't see any in the photos.

 

[Tony in SC]

I believe Matt is right. Looks like an adjuster for a pickering type governor . There should have been a smaller rod the went up through the bottom with a spring on the inside. The top should screw off. There may still be a spring on the inside?

 

[Courtzzy]

I will check when I get home to see if the top screws off. But yea you can see where there was a rod or something that went through it that broke off. It’s a cool piece none the less!! But yea it was a 1000 acre farm at one point so that makes sense if they had a big tractor that it went on. I’m not sure if there’s a railroad close by that it could have landed there if it broke and flew off. I’ll check and see. Thanks again.

 

[bradyboy]

it looks to me to have a purpose, mechanical
not decorative
machined to accept a wrench, to turn
imo - brady

 

[Tony in SC]

It probably came from a portable steam engine? They were in use before tractors or traction engines.

I will check when I get home to see if the top screws off. But yea you can see where there was a rod or something that went through it that broke off. It’s a cool piece none the less!! But yea it was a 1000 acre farm at one point so that makes sense if they had a big tractor that it went on. I’m not sure if there’s a railroad close by that it could have landed there if it broke and flew off. I’ll check and see. Thanks again.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Wow that’s one heck of an ID well done guys! I’ve dug the brass plates from portable steam engines and pumps down here.