Lightning rod ball?

[Altom]

Good morning everyone

First of all i hope im not spamming by posting three topics within twenty four hours.what we have here today is another find from the estate sale i went to the other day and shall be going back to today. At first i saw this thing and i'm like "oh i know what you are!" but then as i studied it more and saw something very similar to it fastened to a chandelier which struck a big doubt in me that it may not be a lightning rod ball. I then looked online when i got back and well some looked like it and alot more didn't. Considering this i'm not sure what to make of it. Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[beendiggin]

It looks to me like it went onto a lamp. I would call it a milk glass hobnail font.

It does resemble a rod ball, maybe it is one. I've never seen a hobnail one before, but that doesn't mean they weren't made.

What is the dimension of it? That might help as I believe a typical lamp font would probably be smaller than a rod ball.

Exeptions will apply of course.

 

[cowseatmaize]

Since I sitting right here, similar to this Paul? Just different.

 

[LC]

Lamp would be my guess as well .

 

[RED Matthews]

Hello all - I have a lot of lightning rod balls and a couple pendants, arrows and rods with arms. I am sure your milk glass hobnail is for a lamp assembly, the round ends on lightning rod balls are normally just plain round cylinders that are about 3/4" in diameter x a quarter inch to 3/8" long.
Your milk glass item is interesting to me. I have to ask how many seams were used in the mold to make it? I know it would have to be three or four because of the density of the hobnails. I will watch for your reply. RED Matthews

 

[Altom]

ORIGINAL: RED Matthews

Hello all - I have a lot of lightning rod balls and a couple pendants, arrows and rods with arms. I am sure your milk glass hobnail is for a lamp assembly, the round ends on lightning rod balls are normally just plain round cylinders that are about 3/4" in diameter x a quarter inch to 3/8" long.
Your milk glass item is interesting to me. I have to ask how many seams were used in the mold to make it? I know it would have to be three or four because of the density of the hobnails. I will watch for your reply. RED Matthews

Hey Matthews here are some measurement pics for clarification.

 

[epackage]

I'd expect both openings to be the same size if it were a lightning rod ball, your's appear to be different diameters... I'd have to agree with a lamp piece.

 

[RED Matthews]

Ok I still think it was for a lamp column part. You still didn't count the vertical seams. I only have one lightning rod ball here in FL. and it is 4" in diameter and has 1-1/4" straight ends that are 5/16" long. That small hole in yours was obviously for an electric wire. RED Matthews

 

[cowseatmaize]

I know it would have to be three or four because of the density of the hobnails. I will watch for your reply. RED Matthews

I have to agree with that. Also the openings don't look ground so I'd guess '40's or around there anyway. Maybe earlier, maybe later, maybe yesterday, that's a bit beyond me.
They're great for restoring lamps though, those often crack or break. I'm sure you can still find them new as replacements.

 

[Altom]

ORIGINAL: RED Matthews

Ok I still think it was for a lamp column part. You still didn't count the vertical seams. I only have one lightning rod ball here in FL. and it is 4" in diameter and has 1-1/4" straight ends that are 5/16" long. That small hole in yours was obviously for an electric wire. RED Matthews

Oops sorry forgot to add that, it has 4 seams.