another mystery item

[magnetman]

Any ideas?

 

I found it on the Thames foreshore near Wapping/Limehouse.

 

its hand forged iron - the ball is solid and heavy.

 

I know its probably not a canal boat item but judging by the vast knowledge displayed here I think someone will know what it is.

 

The background in the picture is standard size decking so gives a scale.

[RLWP]

Half the cross bar from an anchor?

 

Richard

[magnetman]

Was my first thought - its got a sort of shackle bit at the other end. Anchors I have seen have a bar without a joint. I suppose it could be from a folding anchor maybe.

[GoodGurl]

off a ships bell maybe?

[RLWP]

off a ships bell maybe?

 

At that size, it would be from a church bell

 

Richard

[Harpur Hill]

Difficult to tell without seeing in person so to speak but could be the counterweight from a fly press?

 

[magnetman]

Fly press was my second thought but not sure the ball would be in a line like that - and usually two balls. .

 

Ships bell looks possible but its rather large ! I suppose it could he out of a church bell does look very like what GG just posted a pic of.

 

And without the 'tail' attachment but AFAIK church bells are sounded by manipulation of the bell itself rather the dangly bit in the middle.

[magnetman]

 

Did a Google search of 'bell clapper' that was a bit dodgy

[GoodGurl]

Did a Google search of 'bell clapper' that was a bit dodgy

try CLANGER

Edited September 21, 2016 by GoodGurl

[magnetman]

Thanks. That's a lot better

Edited September 21, 2016 by magnetman

[PaulG]

Cannonballs came in all kinds of shapes and sizes...

[tillergirl]

Did a Google search of 'bell clapper' that was a bit dodgy

Oh-oh yes i had to didn't I ? Jingle all the way.....

Edited September 21, 2016 by tillergirl

[bizzard]

Any ideas?

 

I found it on the Thames foreshore near Wapping/Limehouse.

 

its hand forged iron - the ball is solid and heavy.

 

I know its probably not a canal boat item but judging by the vast knowledge displayed here I think someone will know what it is.

 

The background in the picture is standard size decking so gives a scale.

Kojak's lollipop.

[The Lockie]

Field corrector. For a magnetic compass one either side i think.. Not sure. If field corrector is the right terminology

[howardang]

Field corrector. For a magnetic compass one either side i think.. Not sure. If field corrector is the right terminology

 

 

I think you mean soft iron correctors, colloquially known as "Kelvins Balls". However, I don't think that this is one. They don't normally have a bar attached as in this example, but rather a small plinth which engages in a moveable clamp.

 

Howard

[The Lockie]

Yep thats what I meant!! Just struggled to retrieve the info from the brain cell!!

[nbfiresprite]

It could be part of a 'Loggerhead' (ball of iron with a long handle, used, after being heated, to melt tar),

[zenataomm]

Might it be a cast finial?

 

I'm thinking the sort of thing the Victorians liked to stick on top of buildings/signal posts etc.

[cuthound]

Probably one of Thomas Crapper's prototype ball valves.

 

Edited for spillung.

Edited September 22, 2016 by cuthound

[Sir Nibble]

It could be part of a 'Loggerhead' (ball of iron with a long handle, used, after being heated, to melt tar),

That was my first thought too.

[magnetman]

Probably one of Thomas Crapper's prototye ball valves.

yes I considered that before I picked it up. I found a very nice iron boathook - broken down the middle unfortunately. It was near the ball thing. I think two sailors were at loggerheads and had a fight one with a boathook and one with the ball thing

 

Whatever happened someone did something slightly severe with this rather fine boat hook:

 

Definitely a story there

 

(Second pic shows what it would have been like before it got broken)

Edited September 22, 2016 by magnetman

[PaulG]

Remains of pair of fire dogs?

[magnetman]

Having cleaned the ball I see it had LYR embossed on it.

 

Only link apart from the modern London Youth Rowers I can find is Lancs Yorks Railway.

 

Or a boat name?

 

On balance I am assuming it is a bell clanger.

 

Another thought was part of a leg iron but can't find anything identical.

[PaulG]

Having cleaned the ball I see it had LYR embossed on it.

 

Only link apart from the modern London Youth Rowers I can find is Lancs Yorks Railway.

 

Or a boat name?

 

On balance I am assuming it is a bell clanger.

 

Another thought was part of a leg iron but can't find anything identical.

Sewer cleaning tool?

[magnetman]

That's possible - it was quite close to the CSO (Combined Sewer Outlet) at wapping. Does look very like one of the items in your picture. Well spotted !!

 

Only thing is there is no scale so not sure if the ball one is a 3 inch diameter ball or much bigger