Garage sale find...

[Chinagirl]

Found this several years ago. It's cast aluminium about 6 inches tall with trace amounts of blue and red paint. It can come apart for some reason? Any help in identification would be great! Thanks!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Chandelier finial?

 

[Itsmine]

How about a gas lamp part?

 

[Chinagirl]

Chandelier finial?

The piece doesn't have anything that resembles a connector. I did kick around the idea that the hook on the end grabbed a chain and pulled down a suspended light fixture so a person could light candles or gas, but I really don't know if such a device existed or for that matter, would it be so short (6") that one would need a ladder to reach the chain in the first place...lol.

 

[Chinagirl]

How about a gas lamp part?

There are no tubes for gas to run through and nothing to indicate that it connects to anything ie: threads etc.

 

[Chinagirl]

I also wondered if it might be a device for pulling in a clothes line but it seems kind of ornate and redundant for that chore.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

There was a very similar "device" (a short detachable handle, and some were ornate) for pulling down an overhead gaslight. One was posted for ID in the What-Is-It? forum recently. Unfortunately I did not save any photos of that one or the ones posted in reply as proof-of-ID.

 

[Chinagirl]

There was a very similar "device" (a short detachable handle, and some were ornate) for pulling down an overhead gaslight. One was posted for ID in the What-Is-It? forum recently. Unfortunately I did not save any photos of that one or the ones posted in reply as proof-of-ID.

Thanks!
Assuming I've posted this in the "what is it" forum...I've gone back 40 pages looking at the solved posts, 30 minutes going back over any posts titled, "what is it" and all variations on that theme ...then searched the site using the tag, "oil lamp". I got nothing, but thanks again for the lead.