🔎 UNIDENTIFIED I need help identifying these balls

[Truth]

I need help identifying these balls. All I can see is on the small one I can make out some writing “Monarch ball” The larger one I can make out “RATMA” and it also has screw grooves in that one. I found these I have no idea what they are. Thank you. The first one is large then medium and small

 

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[Fat]

...those are neat. Get a caliper and measure them across, in inches not metric and a scale to find out how many pounds and ounces plz.
I think they are cannon balls but I’m just learning about them too. The cannonballguy will be along tomorrow..

 

[Truth]

...those are neat. Get a caliper and measure them across, in inches not metric and a scale to find out how many pounds and ounces plz.
I think they are cannon balls but I’m just learning about them too. The cannonballguy will be along tomorrow..

All right Fat I’ll do it right now I don’t think they’re cannonballs because they’re not made of iron

 

[Truth]

My scale doesn’t go that high and my My electronic ruler needs a battery :-(

 

[traveller777]

My scale doesn’t go that high and my My electronic ruler needs a battery :-(

You might try taking two 2X4 blocks, or some similar size wood, making sure cut at 90 degrees , and stand directly across on either side. Then use a tape or ruler to measure across. Any two objects with a good 90 degree angle will work, even thick hard copy book would give generally close measurement.

And if not iron, what material do you think they are? Nice find anyway. Interesting.

 

[traveller777]

You might try taking two 2X4 blocks, or some similar size wood, making sure cut at 90 degrees , and stand directly across on either side. Then use a tape or ruler to measure across. Any two objects with a good 90 degree angle will work, even thick hard copy book would give generally close measurement.

And if not iron, what material do you think they are? Nice find anyway. Interesting.

And also, you said not iron. They are not ferrous? A magnet is not attracted to them?

 

[Red-Coat]

Just a guess, but there was a company called “Monarch Metal Co.” in Chicago in the 1900s who made industrial equipment and components in brass, bronze and speciality metals using the trade name “Monarch Ball Metal”. Presumably this was some kind of alloy with a proprietary composition.

Your balls appear to have the letters “MET…” after the words “MONARCH BALL”, so I would think it might say “MONARCH BALL METAL”.

This company made heavy duty bearings among other things, but a bearing ball wouldn’t have a threaded hole in it. I wonder if what you have might be “governor balls” (also known as “fly-balls”) which were used as the centrifugal weights on governors for steam-powered equipment. This kind of thing:

 

[Fat]

Just a guess, but there was a company called “Monarch Metal Co.” in Chicago in the 1900s who made industrial equipment and components in brass, bronze and speciality metals using the trade name “Monarch Ball Metal”. Presumably this was some kind of alloy with a proprietary composition.

Your balls appears to have the letters “MET…” after the word “MONARCH”, so I would think it might say “MONARCH METAL”.

This company made heavy duty bearings among other things, but a bearing ball wouldn’t have a threaded hole in it. I wonder if what you have might be “governor balls” (also known as “fly-balls”) which were used as the centrifugal weights on governors for steam-powered equipment. This kind of thing:

View attachment 2004466

...gosh I hope so...

 

[ARC]

Not cannonballs.... if that is what you are wondering,

 

[pepperj]

From the looks of the ball it reminds me of a babbitt type alloy. But having a look at the manufactures of babbitt I see there's no reference to Monarch Baltimore.
Unless it's another use as Red Coat pictured and not an ingot in a ball forum.

Babbitt - Identification Guide - VintageMachinery.org Knowledge Base (Wiki)

wiki.vintagemachinery.org

 

[DCMatt]

I think babbitt metal as well. Here's another clue. From a lumber industry journal 1920's.

 

[DCMatt]

Here is one that sold on ebay recently. They called it a flagpole topper (insert eyes rolling here).

 

[pepperj]

Here is one of my babbitts

 

[pepperj]

Here's another link

Trade catalogs from Monarch Metal Co.

americanhistory.si.edu

 

[Truth]

You might try taking two 2X4 blocks, or some similar size wood, making sure cut at 90 degrees , and stand directly across on either side. Then use a tape or ruler to measure across. Any two objects with a good 90 degree angle will work, even thick hard copy book would give generally close measurement.

And if not iron, what material do you think they are? Nice find anyway. Interesting.

To be honest with you I don’t know it’s soft enough that it could take a scratch or a gash but I have found a cannonball and grape shot and they were always in a shell of rust that I would have to do electroless us these are different I’m puzzled

 

[Truth]

Just a guess, but there was a company called “Monarch Metal Co.” in Chicago in the 1900s who made industrial equipment and components in brass, bronze and speciality metals using the trade name “Monarch Ball Metal”. Presumably this was some kind of alloy with a proprietary composition.

Your balls appear to have the letters “MET…” after the words “MONARCH BALL”, so I would think it might say “MONARCH BALL METAL”.

This company made heavy duty bearings among other things, but a bearing ball wouldn’t have a threaded hole in it. I wonder if what you have might be “governor balls” (also known as “fly-balls”) which were used as the centrifugal weights on governors for steam-powered equipment. This kind of thing:

View attachment 2004466

A red coat that looks possible only the big one has the thread the other two just have the markings

 

[Truth]

Here is one of my babbitts
View attachment 2004470

Man pepper that’s cool

 

[DCMatt]

From:

"Geo. B. Carpenter & Co. Catalogue No. 100 : Manufacturers and Jobbers of Mill, Railroad and Contractors' Supplies" 1911​

BABBITT METAL
Genuine Babbitt
Extra.
No. 1.
No. 2.
No. 3.
No. I.
MONARCH BALL METAL
per lb., f
In 56 lb. boxes

 

[Brokenbear]

This likely means nothing to this quest but weren't there in the early years before better metals were created.. "ball mills" that were designed to crush stuff anywhere from gold ore to whatever ..using ball size, weight, diameter. metal make-up and screen sizing to create the desired finished product dimensions?

Bear

 

[Red-Coat]

This likely means nothing to this quest but weren't there in the early years before better metals were created.. "ball mills" that were designed to crush stuff anywhere from gold ore to whatever ..using ball size, weight, diameter. metal make-up and screen sizing to create the desired finished product dimensions?

Bear

Indeed there were, but they wouldn't have a threaded hole in them... although the two smaller balls are being said not to have the threaded hole that the larger one has.

I'm doubtful that metal supplied in 'ingot' form would have a threaded hole either, and large balls would be a rather space-inefficient shape for transporting it... but perhaps that's why it was called "ball metal".

My other guess is that the letters interpreted as "RATMA..." are actually the beginning of a patent reference that reads "PAT MARCH [or May] XX, XXXX".