Need ID on this one, Please

[goldnow]

Found this around a 200 year old house in Italy, though was not 1" down. It's surprisingly heavy for its size..26 grams..There are three holes, with one going through, and one from the top meeting the others.. The holes were filled with crude wood dowels, that fall out easily, now that it has dried for a few days after a water cleaning. The material has a brass/copper color to it, but feels like lead...There is no rust or corrosion....The sides are flattish...It is 7/8" on all of its sides....Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

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[dg39]

Welcome to the forum!
Here is a rather far fetched guess.
Part of a piece of furniture that used the ball for a joint?
Thats as close as i can get.
DG

 

[Angelo]

Part of a molecule display?

Tony

 

[goldnow]

Welcome to the forum!
Here is a rather far fetched guess.
Part of a piece of furniture that used the ball for a joint?
Thats as close as i can get.
DG

Thank you for your welcome..I have to admit that I am a daily lurker, and very often drown my keyboard with my tongue hanging out, when I see some of the finds you guys come up with...I can only dream.
You might be right, that this whatsit of mine is some form of a reticulating part of something. After handling it the patina is coming out, and I would say the material just might be a low quality bronze, which would explain the weight..At first I thought an explosive musket ball, (if such a thing ever existed) but when I realized that there was wood inside and not dirt, that eliminated that idea. The "Ball", not being perfectly round, and kind of flat on all sides, also confuses the ball joint idea a little, but who knows..Thanks for the help...

 

[GrayCloud]

That's a Whatchamacallit. Been a while since I saw one.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Very interesting with the wooden dowel remnants. Found in Italy, it could be very old and appears crudely made. I dont know what it is however.

 

[goldnow]

Very interesting with the wooden dowel remnants. Found in Italy, it could be very old and appears crudely made. I dont know what it is however.

Well, It was strange to be found at a one inch depth.. The early 1900's seem to be at 4"-6" around here..and this piece looks 17-1800's, which is normally 6"-9", I have never gone deeper with my machine. I have no coin dates to prove my theory, but the cast iron stops at 6" deep and the wrought/forged iron then begins. Cast iron started around 1830's, I have read. I don't think the land was ever turned over where I found this piece, but it was almost on the edge of a rock wall, that is at least 400 years old if not more, under a grass tuft. It does have that roman bronze patina on it. Thanks for your thoughts on this.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Maybe the ground has never been turned but dont forget that water can erode. Another scenario that I have observed is the uprooting of a tree. The roots can push artifacts closer to the surface. It could also be old and recently lost. And dont forget digging resulting from construction of the rock wall.

 

[Michellets]

If there are three holes in it and they are all connected I would have to say that it is a ball joint that goes in a water faucet. Hot and cold water go in two of the holes, and mixed water flows out. It would have been placed between the handle on the sink, and the spigot. Can't show you any diagrams, but it's probably that. I did see one once on "How it's Made". HH M.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

If there are three holes in it and they are all connected I would have to say that it is a ball joint that goes in a water faucet. Hot and cold water go in two of the holes, and mixed water flows out. It would have been placed between the handle on the sink, and the spigot. Can't show you any diagrams, but it's probably that. I did see one once on "How it's Made". HH M.

Interesting thought. I think you are referring to a diverter or mixer valve. It diverts water to the showerhead or mixes the hot and cold. I have worked on sink faucets and shower assemblys and dont remember seeing one exactly like that but in principle some styles may be similar.

What makes me say no to a plumbing part is the wood dowel remnants still inside the holes.


ADDED: I have plumbing parts books that show breakdowns of probably every sink, faucet, tub or shower assemby made in the USA and Europe and I will look in it when I get a chance.