Mystery solved? Thoughts...

Digger_O'Dell

Digger_O'Dell

New member
Hi all,
Found this piece by the old cellar hole I was working. No idea what it was, and nobody chimed in with any ideas either.

20161118_103831.jpg

Found a Hames bell at the site recently not far from this piece. Got to thinking, maybe part of a Hames bell harness? Here's a mock-up:

20170125_214713.jpg

Thoughts anyone? Seems to be a perfect fit, and very period to mid to late 1800s.
 
is it one of those things that rang in the kitchen in old houses to call the servants ?
 
I was thinking half of a fancy hame bell. Something like the photo, but the dragon instead of tassels?horse-bell-terrets-plumes-red-tassels-nickel-chimes-harness-carriage-sleigh-89e720e8ff30a53dff18.jpg
 
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I was thinking coat hook? Heres a pic I found online of a " vintage oriental swivel hanger"

 
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very interesting theory and certainly not out of the question , wish I could help more on the subject .

Ill Digger said:
I was thinking coat hook? Heres a pic I found online of a " vintage oriental swivel hanger"

Click to expand...

Tim the picture didn't show ?
 
del said:
very interesting theory and certainly not out of the question , wish I could help more on the subject .



Tim the picture didn't show ?
Click to expand...
Tried something different. I guess it doesn't work. :lol:
I fixed it. Here it is again.
 
Ah yes, the coat hook. Researched that lead for about a week with every photo, historical hardware ads and catalogs, etc. Not even close. Even tried light fixtures and oil lamp holders without luck. So far, bell bracket is the best guess.
 
Such a cool piece, I've been searching it as well for a few days, and two things I noticed were the hole that is the mouth is a loop, looks like something may have hung from that, and also the nub on the top at the back, that seems like it would have a purpose.
Just some things that seemed interesting. GL
 
DrumnDetect said:
Such a cool piece, I've been searching it as well for a few days, and two things I noticed were the hole that is the mouth is a loop, looks like something may have hung from that, and also the nub on the top at the back, that seems like it would have a purpose.
Just some things that seemed interesting. GL
Click to expand...

I've noticed those points and looked into it. First I figured those nubs as some kind of minor support, or maybe more for alignment? Secondly, the closed mouth I had thought may be for hanging as I've seen similar uses as a hanger for an out light. But the problem is that it doesn't extend out far enough to clear the front of the piece if used that way so doesn't make sense.
 
I was thinking that it looks a lot like the handles that I have on some incense burners, many of the really old ones have dragon handles of different styles.
 
I've come across a very likely answer to your large ornate piece , try googling vintage stove finial
 
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