Any ideas??

[oldfarmer]

Hi
New to this forum - so please be gentle!!
Any thoughts what this object might be?
Made of brass
2.6" long x 1.3" dia.
The base is fairly solid and heavy- only having a hole .13" dia drilled in the side, which connects to the base of the funnel and is not threaded.
No markings except three lines running around the inside of the funnel .30", .50" .75" from the lip. These could of course have no signficance and be machine marks.
I don't think it is an ink well as the ink would run out all over the desk - major design fault!!
Dont think it is a candle snuffer - far to heavy and the hole would not connect to a pole.
Could it be part of a miniture fog horn or even an experimental miniture blunderbuss cannon?
Ideas would be gratefully received.
John

[cogar]

HA, ... maybe is is part of a "steam" pressure valve to maintain the correct steam pressure in a boiler, heater, etc.

[waywardangler]

Being that it is brass, I would also look for a use in a setting where a non-sparking tool/instrument would be used.

Does the hole go through to the funnel and act as a drain or ?

Brass base holder for a plumb bob?

[oldfarmer]

Cogar - I see what you mean about a steam pressure regulator - it could sit on top of a small pressure pipe and lift to allow excess steam to escape - a possibility!.
Waywardangler - yes - the small hole is drilled through to connect with the bottom of the funnel - well actualy the funnel has tappering sides and then right down in the bottom it becomes a parrellel tube where it passes down through the solid brass base - I call it the base as it stands on my desk well that way up but of coarse it may be the top. It's a bit too deep down to photograph I'm afraid. There is some dark gunk down there - I tried poking some out and wetting it to see if it was ink - but no luck. I thought it might be an ink well with a bung, which is missing, in the side to drain it - but how would that work. If you pulled the plug to drain it back into the bottle it would squirt everywhere and why not just pour it carefully back in?
I know what it is - an egg cup for quail eggs !!! - or maybe not!!
John

[waywardangler]

Take a look at this plumb and holder. Especially go to the bottom and see how the line is stored and how a magnet goes through the base into where the steel tip of the plumb bob would be. http://www.veritastools.com/products/Page.aspx?p=530

Not sure if this is what you have but it is a possibility.

[oldfarmer]

I see what you mean - it would certainly do the job. I'm afraid this one is completly non magnetic! but that might be because it is not a 'top of the range' jobbie - but it is solid brass so not a cheap material. If the hole is for a line I can't quite see how it would be an advantage over just wrapping it round the waist.
The hole is .4" from the base, the top of the funnel is 1.2" dia - so a plumb bob would be at least that diameter - so holding the holder against a vertical wall with the string coming out of the hole would mean the plumb bob would foul on the wall - not really too helpful!! but then i don't have the user manual so perhaps I am operating it incorrectly?

[randomagnet]

I know a guy who makes brass pipes and he has a design similar to that w/ a mouthpiece attached through the hole on the base. I highly doubt thats what it is though.

[mart]

Regulator for pressure canner ?? Mine also has a hole in the side !! Never saw one that shape or made of brass but ??

[waywardangler]

Oldfarmer, the brass piece you have would act as a holder for the plumb bob when it is not in use. The hole in the base would be for a cylindrical magnet that extends to the inside where the steel tip of the plumb bob would rest. The magnet would help to hold the plumb bob in the holder because the steel tip is magnetic. The line would be wound around the outside of the tapered portion and would stay above the straight-walled base. In use the plumb bob would be removed from the holder and whatever line is needed would be unspooled. The line would not go through the hole where the magnet should be. The holder would act as a spool to hold line. The end of the line actually goes to the plumb bob end for line attachment. I do not see how the line would foul when held against a wall.

I am not sure that is what your brass thing is but that is how the one in the link I posted works.

[oldfarmer]

Many thanks for your ideas - I will keep my eye open for a plumb bob as we continue clearing the house.
John

[bradfordantiq]

Hi John,
Very good piece. It is really small as it is apparent from the image with the ruler. I have seen in some movies in Asia people used to smoke through a pipe called 'waterpipe'. It might be a fragment of that. The small hole might have been the passage for the smoke to be sucked through a pipe . It looked like this.

Or it might be some part of door knob, fluid source, etc

Good luck
Brad.

[bradfordantiq]

It can also  be a simple smoking funnel.
Very Interesting Antique

[oldfarmer]

Could this explain all the poppies growing in the back garden?