✅ SOLVED Recently found, but unidentified.

BigDawg30701 · Mar 4, 2013

This item appears to be made of brass. There are four small round holes surrounding the two slots. The slots are just narrower than the prongs of an electrical outlet. Obviously it is not part of an electrical outlet since it is made of a conductive material.

Note: You probably do not notice in the pictures, but the flange area is threaded.

Added a pic that will hopefully help, as far as actual size is concerned.

Thanks to all who have replied!

BosnMate · Mar 4, 2013

A drain of some sort?

JOHUNT · Mar 4, 2013

I agree with BosnMate, but at first I was thinking part of an oil lamp, the part where the wick sticks through.

old digger · Mar 4, 2013

It is not a drain, but I just cannot place it. I do know that the two holes are screw holes, and the slits are there to keep it in position. :icon_scratch:

JOHUNT · Mar 4, 2013

Could it be part of a car fan?

Skinsfan · Mar 4, 2013

Looks like the top part of an old oil lamp, where the wick is adjusted.

old digger · Mar 4, 2013

JOHUNT said:
Could it be part of a car fan?

Yeah! that is it! :icon_thumleft:

Paleopilot · Mar 4, 2013

Old telephone part.

JOHUNT · Mar 5, 2013

I believe what you have is a hub for mounting a radiator fan to the water pump pulley. I couldn't find an exact matching pic but google brought up alot of modern examples.

Paleopilot · Mar 5, 2013

JOHUNT said:
I believe what you have is a hub for mounting a radiator fan to the water pump pulley. I couldn't find an exact matching pic but google brought up alot of modern examples.

A bit small for that? Plus he thinks it's brass and it's threaded around the outside. This is consistent with an old wall telephone part. The piece that you speak into on the front of the oak box.

JOHUNT · Mar 5, 2013

Yeah the threaded part is what has me jumbled. Could be the telephone part.

Nitrofisher Digger · Mar 5, 2013

Since it is threaded Id say there was some sort of key that went in the slots to tighten it up and maybe the four holes is where something mounted on top of it.

Breezie · Mar 5, 2013

I don't know what it is, but judging by the holes, I would think it is machine related because the 4 holes are 2 difference sizes. It appears it would slide onto an apparatus that has 2 different size rods/bolts as well as 2 flat pieces of metal that would fit through the center slits. The threaded edge would help secure it's position. Since I'm not the 'Tool Time' person, some of you handsome devils need to think of what machine part would be BRASS and slightly larger than 2 inches across that would fit the bill. I'll buff my fingernails while you think.

Breezie

HutSiteDigger · Mar 5, 2013

You guys really amaze me when it comes too stuff like this.. The time and energy you all put into it is amazing. Too bad I spend most of my time with civil war relics and not being much help on this kinda stuff.. A drain, part on a machine, part on a lawn mower, part on a radiator.... Crazy thing about all this is normally someone on here will 100% ID it , I have seen posts on here where I thought know one would be able to ID it and WOW someone did. Wish people took the time out of their lives too help me ID some of the relics I have. Anyway good luck people and get out and do some dang on MDing before the snakes,ticks and ivy come out in a few weeks!

Paleopilot · Mar 6, 2013

It's a telephone transmitter cup. Here are four examples. :thumbsup:

Breezie · Mar 6, 2013

Paleopilot said:
It's a telephone transmitter cup. Here are four examples.

Paleopilot, I agree it does look like a telephone transmitter cup and the threaded edge makes it believable, but the different size holes are throwing me off. I thought, why would a machine company make an item with different size round holes? After sleeping on it last night, I wondered if it could be the cap to a vintage hanging lamp, where the connections would involve different size holes? I could find a pic exactly like I wanted, but the one below is fairly close. The 2 slits in the center would be for 'blades' and the different size holes for connections; one to the chain/hanging part and the smaller holes for the shade. :dontknow:

I really don't know, but am just throwing out some ideas. Breezie

Paleo, I just remembered this post of yours:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/336335-what.html#post3187131

I was trying to connect those 2 blade like pieces through some type of hanging lamp. I'm wondering if the 4 holes would have held chains, and the 2 slits blades?

Okay, I give up; it's a telephone transmitter cup . . . :laughing7:

Breezie

Paleopilot · Mar 6, 2013

Breezie said:
Paleopilot, I agree it does look like a telephone transmitter cup and the threaded edge makes it believable, but the different size holes are throwing me off. I thought, why would a machine company make an item with different size round holes? After sleeping on it last night, I wondered if it could be the cap to a vintage hanging lamp, where the connections would involve different size holes? I could find a pic exactly like I wanted, but the one below is fairly close. The 2 slits in the center would be for 'blades' and the different size holes for connections; one to the chain/hanging part and the smaller holes for the shade. I really don't know, but am just throwing out some ideas. Breezie

View attachment 753515

Paleo, I just remembered this post of yours:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/336335-what.html#post3187131

I was trying to connect those 2 blade like pieces through some type of hanging lamp. I'm wondering if the 4 holes would have held chains, and the 2 slits blades?

View attachment 753530

Okay, I give up; it's a telephone transmitter cup . . . Breezie

Two of the holes are for mounting purposes, the others were for the wires that attached to the actual transmitter. A screw cap then went over the whole thing. That's why it's threaded. I couldn't fine that exact cup, but I it looks to be a Stromberg part. A closer look of the back might reveal some markings. Also it would date around 1910 or so. Most were brass but, some were Bakelite. It's value is in the 40 to 50 dollar range. :thumbsup:

BigDawg30701 · Mar 7, 2013

I am going to proclaim this one as "SOLVED". I contacted several folks in the antique phone business and all are in agreement that this is a transmitter or receiver cup.

Thanks to all who gave feedback! I appreciate all the input.