FindingHistory
Member
Hi everyone,
I found this ~3" long unidentified pendulum-shaped or handle-shaped lead object about 100 feet from the site of a long-gone tavern from the War of 1812 that I've been working and have posted on before. It was about 10" deep and definitely has that old-time white lead patina that I've found on some of the buck and balls I've found there. Photos shown for scale and from a few different angles. In the pictures you'll see that it has a narrow iron core with a hole in it that has threading. Apparently that central iron core had the lead cast/molded around it; the hole is only on one end and the other end is rounded off like the top of a tool handle. The threading isn't visible in the photos but it's kind of a thicker spiral pattern rather than the "modern look" that comes with threaded bolts of the machine tool era, the hole is about as deep as a toothpick and pretty much 1/4" diameter. As for its age I don't have an idea and can't say with any certainty it's War of 1812 era, but I'd say anything 1790's-1860's would be most likely, although I've found a few later mid-1900's farm relics on site.
I'm guessing that this was the handle to some kind of a tool and that the threaded iron hole was for something similar to a screwdriver, awl, file, gunsmithing tool, maybe something from the operation of the tavern, etc. but I have no idea. Fits pretty comfortably in the hand like a small screwdriver. Why it would be soft and heavy lead I have no clue either. Alternatively, I guess this could be some kind of weight, but it doesn't look like any of the window sash weights I've seen and I don't think most of the gate/door weights were internally threaded. Thanks in advance for any help with the ID/dating of this, and wishing you all happy hunting!
I found this ~3" long unidentified pendulum-shaped or handle-shaped lead object about 100 feet from the site of a long-gone tavern from the War of 1812 that I've been working and have posted on before. It was about 10" deep and definitely has that old-time white lead patina that I've found on some of the buck and balls I've found there. Photos shown for scale and from a few different angles. In the pictures you'll see that it has a narrow iron core with a hole in it that has threading. Apparently that central iron core had the lead cast/molded around it; the hole is only on one end and the other end is rounded off like the top of a tool handle. The threading isn't visible in the photos but it's kind of a thicker spiral pattern rather than the "modern look" that comes with threaded bolts of the machine tool era, the hole is about as deep as a toothpick and pretty much 1/4" diameter. As for its age I don't have an idea and can't say with any certainty it's War of 1812 era, but I'd say anything 1790's-1860's would be most likely, although I've found a few later mid-1900's farm relics on site.
I'm guessing that this was the handle to some kind of a tool and that the threaded iron hole was for something similar to a screwdriver, awl, file, gunsmithing tool, maybe something from the operation of the tavern, etc. but I have no idea. Fits pretty comfortably in the hand like a small screwdriver. Why it would be soft and heavy lead I have no clue either. Alternatively, I guess this could be some kind of weight, but it doesn't look like any of the window sash weights I've seen and I don't think most of the gate/door weights were internally threaded. Thanks in advance for any help with the ID/dating of this, and wishing you all happy hunting!
