Some sort of insulator?

[mick56]

I found this in the shed of a very old farm. I thought it looked like a power line insulator, but it is made of metal. The outer eyes are iron, the middle part looks like brass, but it does lightly attract a magnet. About 5 1/2" long.

 

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[mirage83]

Swivel hook for some sort of block & tackle or hoist would be my guess. The top loop and bottom hook probably rotate independently in the center assembly.

 

[BosnMate]

If the center is other than metal, my swag would be an insulator for a guy wire holding the pole.

 

[HuntinDog]

Swivel for a hanging oil lamp chandelier would be my guess.

Very cool find...

HH

 

[Corinthian]

Hey there

May very well be an insulator. The part in the middle may be a composite insulator - often asbestos or bakelite. These were often used in trolley construction.
Was there a street railway or trolley near to where you found it?
I had a similar example surface in a collection here in S.W. Ontario earlier this year, but with just two eyelets on either end, not the clovis-type pin like yours. Mine had some patent information moulded into the composite part of the piece.
These are normally worth a few bucks $5-10 to a collector of that sort of thing... though those aren't too common!
All the best,

Barrett

 

[mick56]

It does not swivel at all. I think the iron part goes through, and is one solid piece. The center part looks like brass, with the iron part going through it.