What is it? Here we go again

[ironlord1963]

That would probably work for that.  LOL.  After asking a few other friends of mine. I'm starting to draw my conclusion as a bathtub Stopper Mech.  Kinda like when you pull it up the stopper in the tub, filling the tub the allows water run over the edge of the tub, and on the floor.  LOL.   This was suggest by two friends of mine thus far, better then my first thought of a Fountain top.  Which I just may do for a decoration in the yard anyway, or just figure out how to mount it to my toliet, would make a grand flusher..  Thanks regularjoe I just love the thinking out side the box.

[regularjoe2]

On second thought , I think it's a sink-stopper (plug) actuator .
I should have stopped & thunk for a second .

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm going to take a wild guess that it is some kind of top filial from a lamp fixture, with the shade being held in place by the top piece.

[waywardangler]

I could see this as being used in a lower "bowl" of a fountain.  The water would build up to a depth of about 5" until it would flow down through the stopper tube (if the stopper was up) and then be piped back up to the fountain top.  Obviously, some parts of the fountain are missing if this is what it was for.  I do agree it is some type of stopper but I think it is used to regulate a bowl or pool depth for decorative purposes.