✅ SOLVED Whatsit

[Noah_D]

Found this little thing a few weeks ago at a field with adjacent homesites that (based on the maps and other finds) span roughly from the 1830s to 1880s or 90s. IH for scale. Any ideas on what it is? I'm stumped.


Some other finds from the site: The crotal bell is marked Barton and Starr and it's my first with a maker!

 

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[villagenut]

No idea but it looks pretty neat though

 

[Fourman110]

Pretty ornate. Kind of looks like a transom window adjuster but the ends are a little pointy. Do any parts move? Has kind of a toggle look to it but fairly fancy for that use.

 

[Noah_D]

In this picture the arrow points to a pivot point (I don't know what else to call it) and I drew a red bracket next to where it looks like it broke.

 

[Goodyguy]

Cork screw with the screw missing

 

[Joe hunter]

Will that whole pivot point piece pull down like a pressure relief valve

 

[Noah_D]

Will that whole pivot point piece pull down like a pressure relief valve

No I don't think so. It seems to be solid other than the one spot I pointed to.

 

[invent4hir]

In the first picture the curved piece looks like it has worn feathers and maybe a bird head/beak on one end. IDK what purpose it served.

 

[invent4hir]

First picture: Please take/post a picture with the camera aiming down the shaft (in the direction of the blue arrow). Does there appear to be a hole or broken off screw there? Is the piece broken at the yellow arrow?

Second picture: Does the white arrow point to chrome plating?

Wonder if it is made of pot metal....

 

[Noah_D]

invent4hr, sorry about the bad picture but I'm pretty terrible at photography and it's the best I can get. The part next to the blue arrow doesn't seem to have any screw or hole but on the backside (the side closest to the IH in the picture you modified) it does appear as if something broke off. It does not look to be broken at the yellow arrow.

The whole thing appears to be coated in a silvery metal (not sure if it is chrome or silver), the white arrow is just pointing to the section of it that caught the light of my lamp but everywhere that is not the reddish brown color is coated.

 

[invent4hir]

Noah_D, the last picture looks good. Still stumped. It looks like to operate what ever it was attached to, you'd move the stem (blue arrow) clockwise or counter-clockwise. That would cause the broken off bracket to move up/down slightly. The ornate design may help others narrow the date range. Good luck!

 

[1637]

this is going to be something,cant wait for the id.
brad

 

[Iron Buzz]

It is part of was called a "Sewing bird". I found one a couple years ago. It was clamped to the table and had a 2nd part that was spring loaded, like a bird's beak, to hold the fabric taught so it could be stitched.

 

[desertexplorer]

Great ID!!

 

[Noah_D]

Thank you Iron Buzz! Great ID!

 

[Iron Buzz]

Thank you Iron Buzz! Great ID!

Pretty sure this is where I learned what mine was. I'm looking for that post now, but meanwhile, here's another that I found: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/235797-what-tis.html

 

[Iron Buzz]

Pretty sure this is where I learned what mine was. I'm looking for that post now, but meanwhile, here's another that I found: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/235797-what-tis.html

This was the post where mine was ID'd: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/576722-ornate-piece-1850-s-site.html