What are these???

[cobaltbot]

OK farm guys and gals, carpenters, etc. here's another mystery item. You all have done pretty good in the past though there are at least three open posts that no one could figure out and unfortunately I had no clue what they were either! These were found in the woods yesterday and hand forged. There are two designs but they must be the same thing, not sure if they were used in pairs but these two don't match exactly. If I had to quess on these I'm thinking some kind of scaffolding hooks? What say YE?

 

[cobaltbot]

Someone went to a lot of trouble to fancy this one up a bit?

 

[myersdiggers1998]

maybe bridle,saddle, or rope hooks. the center holes may have been there to pretty it up some , just a guess.

 

[RedGinger]

They look really familiar. Are they for a railing or something? Maybe you put them on a wall and they're pot hooks?

 

[cobaltbot]

maybe & maybe....jury is still out.. THANKS for the replies!!!

 

[steveinlanc]

Ah, finally something I know about in the bottle forums.

Those are called fireplace trammels. They are both missing half their parts - see image below. They are antique, probably late 1790 - 1830, and were used to hang cooking pots over the fire in a large hearth. The bar parts you have would have hung on a rod suspended across the chimney or on a crane (think giant iron angle bracket), and the holes allowed the actual bar that held the pot to be raised and lowered - early temperature control. Trammels came in several mechanical designs, including ratchet, chain, bar or "hole", which is what you have.

They are very nice, both popular sizes for collectors, and the one with the design work on it is very desirable, probably worth as much as $350 as it is without the missing rod.

Congratulations, excellent find. []

P.S. - Let me know when I can come comb through your woods!

 

[capsoda]

Good find Steve......now get back out there and find some more late 1700s early 1800s stuff!!!!!

 

[steveinlanc]

Capsoda I didn't find them, Cobaltbot did. I just identified what they are.

 

[cobaltbot]

Holy Moly Steve-o you nailed it!!! Thanks so much for coming up with the ID on those. Great addition to the rusty metal junk collection, I better preserve those two! Cappy meant me, we're both steve. Thanks to you I found out what they were and a great link to an awesome book called Colonia Wrought Iron, The Sorber Collection by Don Plummer, I'm going to have to get that one. You can come look in my woods anytime! Here's the link:

http://books.google.com/books?id=luZ2O9K62nwC&dq=colonial+wrought+iron+the+sorber+collection&pg=PP1&ots=A4j8-eNqdt&sig=DUmK-qYeCYZ3OUuA-SMIkvCfFbw&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3Dcolonial%2Bwrought%2Biron:%2BThe%2BSorber%2BCollection&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail#PPA26,M1

 

[GuntherHess]

I have one in my fireplace , a useful item...
http://www.mattsoldhouse.com/house/fpuse.jpg