Ball and chain ID PLEASE!!!

[Zmcdonald85]

I've had this ball and chain for 18+ years. I found it in a basement of an apartment I lived at in Watervliet, NY. I have ever been looking for a while with no luck to I'd this ball and chain. Any help would be much appreciated (era?). It weighs around 80-100 lbs

 

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[romeo-1]

Can't help but very cool. Perhaps the shackle was removed from the open link.

 

[trapperart]

Very cool

 

[Tommy G]

Reminds me of my ex-wife!

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

Reminds me of my ex-wife!

reminds me of my future X wife.

 

[Brother Al]

A little scary to think that it was found in a basement....or is that just me?

 

[nsdq]

John Wyane Gacey ?

 

[Icewing]

I'm not sure exactly what kind of an ID you are looking for. It's a log chain welded to a cast iron ball. Chances are someone's leg was attached to it at some point. It doesn't seem quite big enough to be a demolition ball. Does it have any markings such as symbols, letters or numbers that might identify who made it?

 

[Icewing]

Ok here's another theory

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=gate+weight&FORM=HDRSC2&PC=MOZB

 

[Tradertom]

It sure is a cool find. At this point Hard to tell the original use.

 

[Bruce R]

The chain links are machine welded, not all that old.

 

[BagLady]

80-100 lbs? I was thinking wrecking ball at that weight, but I don't know.

 

[Dave N Japan]

Small wreaking ball for small jobs

 

[against the wind]

I was thinking Fresh Water Mooring Anchor.

 

[texjim]

It would make a good wedding gift.

 

[A2coins]

That's weird and to find in a basement any idea who owned the house would be some fun research!!!!!!!

 

[Trezurehunter]

I'm with the crew of people who say small wrecking ball.

 

[devldog]

That is a cool find. When I first saw this it reminded me of a real rarity from the War of Northern Aggression. There was a double barreled cannon that was supposed to fire at exactly the same precise moment. This fired two round cannon balls attached to one another by a chain. This was to be used and fired at massed columns of an Infantry advancement or charge. The balls were supposed to swing round and round as they were fired and would have a devastating effect on advancing Infantry. The problem was that they could not get the gun's barrels to fire at exactly the same time. This gun was in the experimental stage and was fired very few times. One time it was fired, the balls did not discharge at the same time and it decapitated one of it's gunners. There were very few of these made. One of these sits on display in Athens, Georgia. I don't believe this is what you have, but who knows? It reminded me of this story anyway. A neat find you have there regardless.

 

[Bramblefind]

Something to keep in mind too fwiw is that Watervliet - the small city where the OP says he found this - is also the home of the Watervliet Arsenal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watervliet_Arsenal