Can someone help me date this plum bob I found?

mjmccallie

Tenderfoot
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Rockwood, TN
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Garrett Ace 250
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Metal Detecting

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

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
 

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.
 

Last edited:
Brass
 

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.
 

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

 

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.
 

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.

bob.webp
bob1.webp
bob2.webp
bob3.webp
 

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

What be a LVA?
 

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

Sorry, man. I told you I was slow.:tongue3: I thought LVA was another one of them abbreviations folks throw around here.
 

the design looks alot like globe..these are globe plum bobs late 1800s to 1940s
bob1.webp...bob2.webp
 

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