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Mystery Bronze/Brass Artifact, Help!

DoctorWhy

DoctorWhy

Full Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2016
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240
Location
Island in Penobscot Bay, Maine
Searching around a homesite that has been continually occupied since it was built in the mid-1800s, I came across this artifact. It was buried about 9" beneath a sizable tree root -- and rang up as a solid, loud and clear "95" on the Garrett Pro...

In earlier years there might have been a blacksmith's shop on the property. In the 1950's through 1990's there was a silver/goldsmith living at the residence.

This heavy brass object fits comfortably in the hand, as if it were used as a mallet or pounder of some sort. Internet searches have not turned up anything similar.

Anybody have an idea of what it might be? Could my thought that it might have been a 'pounder' or mallet used by a silver-/gold-smith or engraver be a reality?

Thanks and happy hunting!
--Bert
 

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Odd piece for sure.

You'd have to think steel was readily available when that piece was made, for whatever reason.

Brass/bronze are "non-sparking" metals, which makes me wonder if it wasn't something used in an explosive environment?

ETA: Probably not applicable (as the article mentioned the use of a steel stake), but interesting none the less:

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/how-silver-spoons-were-made/
 
Last edited:
Ron 71 said:
+1 I agree, an all purpose dolly, although I’ve never seen one that shape before, it’s the first thing I thought of.
Click to expand...

Voriax, Ron 71, and Gauntlet,

Yes, I believe you guys 'nailed' it... I'll bet it is truly a "dolly", but in context of the home once being owned by a silversmith/goldsmith, I suspect this brass/bronze "dolly" was used for forming/repairing precious metal objects. Unfortunately, I've neither found any gold or silver on the site to go along with the 'dolly'... :(

I'll keep searching...:D

Thanks,
--Bert
 
On the bottom row of pics, very left one.....

Hard to tell but are the concave sides a different radius from each other? How about the convex ends?

If different, what about (sticking with the dolly theory) them being used for say, different diameter copper pots, maybe cups, bowls?

ETA: On the same pic it appears the radius falls short of reaching the ends of the piece, leaving a flat area on either end (see middle pic). On the bottom side, it looks like the radius continues all the way to the ends of the piece, leaving no flat areas.

LOL, am I making sense?
 
Gauntlet said:
On the bottom row of pics, very left one.....

Hard to tell but are the concave sides a different radius from each other? How about the convex ends?

If different, what about (sticking with the dolly theory) them being used for say, different diameter copper pots, maybe cups, bowls?

ETA: On the same pic it appears the radius falls short of reaching the ends of the piece, leaving a flat area on either end (see middle pic). On the bottom side, it looks like the radius continues all the way to the ends of the piece, leaving no flat areas.

LOL, am I making sense?
Click to expand...

Gauntlet,
Yes, you are making sense! As I examine the piece, I am beginning to think that it is 'homemade' and not a commercial piece. Your observation about the flats, making the piece asymmetric... The inward curved areas are much smoother than the sides or either 'hammer face'. There looks like 'stretch marks' on the narrow sides and the 'hammer faces' are somewhat rough... It is as if someone heated a brass/bronze cylinder to red-hot and squeezed it, perhaps in a vice between two cylinders to create the 'hourglass' shape...
All just speculation...

--Bert
 
DoctorWhy said:
Gauntlet,
Yes, you are making sense! As I examine the piece, I am beginning to think that it is 'homemade' and not a commercial piece. Your observation about the flats, making the piece asymmetric... The inward curved areas are much smoother than the sides or either 'hammer face'. There looks like 'stretch marks' on the narrow sides and the 'hammer faces' are somewhat rough... It is as if someone heated a brass/bronze cylinder to red-hot and squeezed it, perhaps in a vice between two cylinders to create the 'hourglass' shape...
All just speculation...

--Bert
Click to expand...

Odd item for sure, I'm out of guesses. Hope you can find out it's purpose.
 
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