What is this?

[Rustys Mate]

What is this?July 24, 2007 Found at Kirby/Woman Key site

This is the artifact that was discovered last week and we are unsure as to what it is. We left part of it uncleaned to see what it looked like when the divers recovered it. It is non ferrous, non precious metal and is 5″x5″ and only about 1/8″ thick. The four legs bend down only slightly to hold it about 1/4″ off the surface. It was found near the Kirby site.

 

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[Gypsy Heart]

It might be a lamp holder or pot trivet

 

[Admiral de Salee]

At first, I thought trivet. Also looks a bit like an old 'indoor flag stand', but the center part doesn't, um, 'support' that.

 

[badbrains]

looks like an astrolabe. could be wrong

 

[Gypsy Heart]

hmmmmm I dont know about that

 

[Rustys Mate]

Didn't old coal stoves have trivets like that on top for cooking/heating water? But, would there have been an old coal stove on an old ship?

 

[Rustys Mate]

What do you think?

 

[Admiral de Salee]

My Pop used to say, "Name the 3 major parts of a cast-iron stove: [lid-] lifter, leg, and poker".

Speaking of cast iron, that's what the item looks like it's made of. They said *non-* ferrous?

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Coal or wood stoves ....yes

 

[gollum]

I would tend to agree with the lamp/candle base ideas.

Best,

Mike

 

[pcolaboy]

hmmmmm I dont know about that

My first thought was an astrolabe as well.

Pcola

 

[Darren in NC]

Astrolabes were typically made of brass, not iron. I support the base or stand idea. It doesn't seems flat enough to be a trivet.

 

[ScubaDude]

Planning a trip to DR

 

[Rustys Mate]

Wilf will be in the D.R. next week with Tracy Bowden.

 

[FISHEYE]

it looks like it could be the valve on a old wood or coal burning stove,the type of valve to let air in so you get a hotter fire.but the flat slotted metal piece that spins is missing.if you have one of those propane grills.look at the top,thats usally where the valve is.

 

[CaribbeanDiver]

Awesome find!

 

[ivan salis]

humm the heart shaped openings --- thinking --

 

[Sapper23]

I found something like that here NE, FL. ,but it didn't have hearts. it turn out it was a trade item, what blacksmith made, or someone on the ship:

Great find!!! sapper