This would have been a nice one, aqua hinge mold med. Embossed "CLARKE'S" on the side , and on the front 'VEGETABLE TONIC AND INVIGORATOR". I'm sure it's the same Clarke as Clarke's Peruvian Syrup", but I don't recall seeing this bottle before
Hey Bram,
My guess is that you found an anchor. I'm sure you've seen metal ones like that. The stone is to weight it, the prongs to hold it on the bottom. But for someone to have custom made that thing is awesome. A very neat eclectic item. I got out today finally too. I will start a thread if I get the chance. Keep on getting 'em Bram.
The center pole is about a 2" dowel, and the four spikes off of it are the same piece of wood, carefully cut and split, the same way Indians made spears etc.
It was found underwater near what was a grist mill 200 years ago. There is a 200 year old house nearby. It was in a small very small slow moving river, so of course I was thinking an anchor for a little boat, but you could use a rock tied to a rope for that. This item took a long time to make. The rock had to be just so, and then the grooves carved. The wood had to be split perfectly, and it attaches to the bottom X section, by being fit tightly into a hole, like they used to do rail back chairs back in the day
Yeah Bob, I've been thinking anchor, just hard to imagine putting that much work into it.
This section has the only piece of iron in the piece, an iron ring that keeps the split wood set so it doesn't split higher. Probably hard to get a feel for it with out seeing it in person, but figured someone might recognize it.