Help with Lightning rod insulator

[dollarbill]

Heres one we pulled out of a pit today.I can't seem to find any others like it.The reason I say it is a lighting rod insulator is there was most of the twisted steel rod and three footed brackes for the spires in the pit to.Has Patented 1 then Sept 2.1884 through the middle then Aug.4.1885 under on the bottom.
Thanks for any help any one can give me about it.
Bill

 

[dollarbill]

The back side.
Thanks agian.
Bill

 

[BillinMo]

That's a pretty interesting piece.

At first glance, I don't think it's a lightning rod insulator, mainly because it doesn't match any known styles and I've never seen any sort of lightning rod system mounted as you describe. I did a quick Google search on the patent dates and didn't come up with anything. Definitely could benefit from some further research.

 

[cowseatmaize]

It's a fruit jar lid to Lafayette jars. RB 1450-52.

 

[dollarbill]

Thanks Cows,I just got schooled.I though for sure it was going to be an insulator being that it was so small and all the hard ware for the lighting rod system for the house was in the pit .Well every thing but the glass parts.Thanks agian .
Bill

 

[cowseatmaize]

No problem, the jars with closures are listed largely for 1000+. If you can get the 3 pieces apart and the clean up well you may have a couple hundred dollar lid to the right buyer. Maybe that's a bit wishful but still, a good amount.

 

[AntiqueMeds]

I expect there are quite a few people looking for those lids.
I see a lot of those jars sans lids.

 

[cowseatmaize]

ORIGINAL: AntiqueMeds

I expect there are quite a few people looking for those lids.
I see a lot of those jars sans lids.

I'd almost think the opposite sometimes. The jars are easy to break but the lids survive. The metal is probably most important. Like the yokes for a Globe jar. The jars and the lids are way more common than the yokes.
Just a thought.

 

[AntiqueMeds]

seems like people kept the jars often but threw away the lids.
I see midget jars all the time with no lids. I guess they errode in the ground also.
I dont really know much about fruit jars (except that I usually lose money when I try and buy/resell them)

 

[nhpharm]

I see this style of lid typically in the $25-$40 range. The "Patent Pending" ones that went on the profile jars go for a bit more, but I have owned about 10 covers over the years and never owned a jar, so I think the value is in the jars rather than the closures on this particular jar.