Can someone help me date this plum bob I found?

[mjmccallie]

I found this in a civil war area. It was actually on the edge of a dug out fighting position.

 

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[CincinnatiKid]

mjmccallie, are you positive it's a plum bob?
What is object made of?
Peace ✌

 

[Inspector]

It may be the photo but it looks a little large for plum bob and also doesn't appear to have the point of a bob (but maybe flatten or broke). Is there a hole on the top for the string. How much does it weigh ? Bob or not, nice find

 

[sandchip]

It is a plumb bob. I've got one like that with the two knurled rings somewhere that Daddy and I used in building, but how old it is, I don't know. The tips are steel to better take bumps without deforming, but it looks like it is missing or has rusted away. I guess it could've been used as an artillery bob, but the one I have that I was told is one is cast iron, shorter and fatter. They probably used whatever they had on hand in battle though.

 

[mjmccallie]

Brass

 

[mjmccallie]

I haven't gotten to weigh it yet. The point is there just hard to see. It is rusted on the point. I have found pics of plum bobs on internet just exactly like it but I have not seen a date, just antique.

 

[joekidwell]

I was thinking a flag pole ornamemt but if it's really heavy it would be a plumb bob.

 

[mjmccallie]

Yeah that is what I thought when I first saw it and then I picked it up and I knew right away it was way to heavy for that.

 

[sandchip]

Brass

I realize that it's brass. The steel tip is threaded into the tip to protect against deforming from impact.

 

[sandchip]

I ought to know better than to trust my memory. The one second from left is the one Daddy and I used, and the third is the one that I thought was like yours, but only has one ring at top. The first is the one that I was told is an artillery plumb bob. I had hoped that there might be a patent date on one to help date it, but all I could find are the markings shown. Does yours have any markings? It has a beautiful patina, so I'd be reluctant to do a whole lot of cleaning.

 

[mjmccallie]

It does have what appears to be LVA but not positive. I hate to clean on it any.

 

[sandchip]

What be a LVA?

 

[mjmccallie]

IDK, thats just the letters I think I see on it.

 

[sandchip]

Sorry, man. I told you I was slow. I thought LVA was another one of them abbreviations folks throw around here.

 

[bigfoot1]

the design looks alot like globe..these are globe plum bobs late 1800s to 1940s
...

 

[mjmccallie]

the design looks alot like globe..these are globe plum bobs late 1800s to 1940s
View attachment 1088440 ... View attachment 1088441

It appears to say TVA on it which would date it to the 1930's which would agree with you Bigfoot1. Thanks for the post!