what is this? its heavy

[wstgo]

Found at 1800's home (back yard) Its about 2inches across

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

At "2 inches across"... it appears to be a Civilian-type "rosette" from saddle-harness or other horsegear harness. Your rosette is stamped-brass, with a lead-alloy "filler metal" in the back to hold an attachment-bar (which is missing).

 

[wstgo]

Thanks CBguy, would you have a pic of what the attachment would look like?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

For the 2"-size rosette, the attachment-bar (which could be made or iron or brass) had the basic form of an oversized metal staple. I'll try to find a photo showing a backside view of that size of a rosette.

Edit: Found a photo which shows the form of attachment bar ...but this one is on a World War One era US cavalry rosette, not the lead-filled-back type that you found.

 

[wstgo]

Thank you, this is the first one I have ever found. I thought it might be a clock pendulum.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I have to say it could be a clock pendulum weight, due to what looks like the impression of a flat metal bar in the lead-alloy fillermetal. But I'd think a pendulum's attachment to the metal bar would be "deeper" ...surrounded by the fillermetal rather than just pressed into it.

 

[wstgo]

Good point! I didn't think of that

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

In fairness (and humility), I have to say that achieving certainty about the object's ID is difficult. I leaned away from the thought that it was a clock's pendulum-weight for the reason I mentioned above. Also, most pendulum-weights I've seen were at least "somewhat" ornate, rather than being a plain (featureless) disc ...whereas in contrast I've seen lots of very plain 18th & 19th-century rosettes. So, combining its plain-ness with its lack of anything "substantial" for attachment to a pendulum's shaft, my immediate thought was that it's is a horsegear rosette, missing its staple-shaped attachment bar. But, if it's a rosette, I cannot explain the shallow flat-bottomed imprint in the center of the fillermetal. Speaking of which, the fillermetal looks "blobby." Perhaps the object was in a fire which melted the lead-alloy fillermetal enough to obscure that metal's original shape.

I think a clue which will help in obtaining 100%-certainty about the object's ID is the "curled over" rim of its brass face ...that rim is somewhat similar to what we see when a 2-piece button is missing its back.

If somebody here can come up with a photo of a clock pendulum-weight whose back matches this object, I'd like to see it ...and I will give that person my public applause for the 100%-certainty ID.

 

[lostcauses]

"about 2inches across" I would say buckle maybe. I agree that the back has been melted since original use.

 

[wstgo]

Here is a better pic of the back if that helps CBguy, Thanks for your help. and sorry but I measured it and it is 1 1/2 inches exactly across

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Thank you for the new, better photo, and for the measurement correction.

I did a bunch or additional research, and now believe I have reached 100%-certainty about the ID of the object you dug. Due to the research-results, I must retract my initial opinion that it is a horsegear rosette. As mentioned in my latest post, the melted fillermetal damage "obscured" the object's attachment-form.

I found a photo which I believe shows what your object's attachment-form was, before the fire-damage happened. The photo shows 3 excavated actual horsegear rosettes, and what appears to be your object. Its back had a wide thin rectangular "tunnel" through the fillermetal, to accept the thin bar-shaped shaft of the clock's pendulum.

I previously mentioned that the rim of your object's brass face is "curled-over" on the back, similar to a 2-piece button's front-section. (The "curled-over" rim is clearly visible in your new photo of your object's back.) Note that the backs of the brass-faced rosettes in the photo below do not have a "rolled-over" edge ...but the clock-pendulum weight does.

So, I think we can green-check your mystery-object now. It is indeed a clock-pendulum weight. Anybody disagree?

 

[wstgo]

Thanks a ton CBguy! This is SOLVED!

 

[DirtDigler]

Another great ID! I will only add that this would likely be from a small clock. Most I've seen are larger than 1-1/2" in diameter. Nice find!