Author Topic: Help in identifying this...uh...thing (Read 12169 times)

KC · « **Reply #15 on:** May 12, 2011, 12:59:27 am »

I agree! LOL

The more I look at it...it resembles a pine cone more than a pineapple!

cogar · « **Reply #16 on:** May 12, 2011, 02:14:31 am »

Uh, .... uh, ..... just because it now has lead shot stored inside of it doesn't mean it was originally made for holding lead shot.

velodude88 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 12, 2011, 07:15:25 am »

Good point. Maybe it was a whiskey flask!

Re: pine cone or pineapple. It doesn't show particularly well in the photos but near the top (and also at the bottom), the pattern has what looks like (for lack of a better description) a "wrinkling" effect.

Also the screw top is in two sections - there's the threaded screw part and the top part that looks like it was brazed or soldered to the screw part.

Texasbadger · « **Reply #18 on:** May 12, 2011, 07:17:39 am »

My dad brought back some Black Forest Cuckoo clocks from his stint in the military, I saw the pine cone and the holes for suspension loops and it just cried out. As for the lead shot couldnt that be to accurately measure the weight and "time" the clock?

mart · « **Reply #19 on:** May 12, 2011, 11:04:30 am »

Only weights I have ever seen were solid !! Loss of one shot would mean the clock would be out of time !! I have one in now being repaired and cleaned. It has the pine cone design but the weights are solid for it !! It is Black Forest style that hubby brought back from Germany when he was stationed there !!

cogar · « **Reply #20 on:** May 13, 2011, 03:06:45 am »

Quote

Mechanical clocks tell time using gears. They have two important parts: a mainspring and a pendulum. The pendulum keeps time and ensures that the gears move at the right pace: second by second. Instead of a mainspring, some mechanical clocks have weights that pull the gears at the right pace

mart · « **Reply #21 on:** May 13, 2011, 08:18:44 am »

Not sure about a whiskey flask as most of those were rather flat in order to fit in a coat pocket !!

waywardangler · « **Reply #22 on:** May 13, 2011, 08:39:54 am »

I was thinking a candy container but I can find no similar examples. Also a re-purposed antique food/snuff/spice container that might have had a paper label at one time. Pails had/have wire handles and many had food stuff in them originally so I was trying to think of something that would come in a container with a wire handle AND a small screw top opening. No such luck. Another conundrum.

hosman321 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 13, 2011, 08:52:03 am »

I wonder if this was a christmas ornament?

Maybe the holes are from where it was hung on a garland/strand? They made pinecone ornaments in metal, glass, or plastic and most had removeable tops. For examples, go to ebay and type in pinecone ornament or pine cone ornament.

hosman321 · « **Reply #24 on:** May 13, 2011, 09:02:48 am »

Glass examples:
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Vintage-Silver-Glass-Christmas-Ornament-BIG-Pinecone-/310271697035?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483da2608b

http://cgi.ebay.com/antique-GLASS-CHRISTMAS-ORNAMENT-PINE-CONE-/230558621121?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ae5d5dc1

waywardangler · « **Reply #25 on:** May 13, 2011, 09:08:19 am »

Yes, hosman, that crossed my mind also but the size is a problem. 7" long and 3 1/2" wide and tin. Put a few of those on a strand and the tree will lean.

mart · « **Reply #26 on:** May 13, 2011, 09:57:44 am »

Just looked at Liveauctioneers and it had several powder tins that had what appeared to be screw tops. But that still doesn`t explain the holes in the sides !! They were Civil War era !! I am thinking that whatever it was originally,, it was simply repurposed for shot !!

mariok54 · « **Reply #27 on:** May 13, 2011, 11:43:07 am »

Quote from: waywardangler on May 13, 2011, 09:08:19 am

Yes, hosman, that crossed my mind also but the size is a problem. 7" long and 3 1/2" wide and tin. Put a few of those on a strand and the tree will lean.

There's only 1" difference in the size, and would there be a great difefrence in the weight between thick glass and thinnish tin? ... but why the holes in the side?

waywardangler · « **Reply #28 on:** May 13, 2011, 12:14:41 pm »

Mart, powder tins that are meant to store gunpowder and what gunpowder was sold in, do have screw tops and very old ones are small screw tops. However, gunpowder tins also stand up. I have never seen a gunpowder tin that did not stand up nor have I ever seen any with side holes meant to (presumably) hold a wire bail handle.

Mario, the old blown glass ornaments that I am familiar with, are very thin glass and would weigh much less than a comparable tin cone.

JMO.

velodude88 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 13, 2011, 03:01:57 pm »

Not that this will help but I've posted a few more photos that show some close-up details. Also I emptied it of its content (photo below) and weighed it. It's almost exactly 100 grams (a fuzz under 4 oz) empty. With its content, it's 600g or 1 lb 5 oz.