26
Large ceramic or stoneware piece. (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 months ago by Machinist@lemmy.world to c/whatisthisthing@lemmy.world
13 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Found this broken piece in the creek bank. Southwest Pennsylvania. Farmhouse was built in 1922. Coalmining country.

Would have been about 18" in diameter. There is a rough coating in the glaze on the inside and outside of the bowl section. Abrasive enough that I figure it served a mechanical purpose. There are three grooves on the rim that aren't symmetrical to each other.

There might be a makers mark in the center of the glaze inside but I can't make it out. There is also a light blue/green stain on the bottom that might be a mark.

Any ideas?

top 13 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] thisbenzingring 11 points 3 months ago

probably one of those ceramic power insulators

[-] Kethal@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)
[-] Machinist@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

I'm starting to think it is part of an insulator. It's just so big to be one. It's almost double the size of the the vintage 1950s one above. Maybe one section of a huge high voltage assembly?

[-] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 2 points 3 weeks ago

I do know that mines and other things would often bring their own electrical generators and systems and lots of PA has a history of coal and other mining. Someone knowledgeable in that sort of history might be able to confirm/deny that theory.

[-] grff@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Looks like it to me, albeit a bit large ...

[-] Machinist@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

It's absolutely huge if it's an insulator.

[-] Chef_Boyargee@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

Looks kind of like a lid for a fermentation crock?

[-] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 months ago

It “could” be a sewer/pipe cap but your geographic location and time period suggests it probably isn’t. I’ve seen reasonably similar items that serve this purpose.

[-] PahJ58TbLk55sgZYFugA@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 3 months ago

History of gold mining in the area? Might be a pan for panning gold. Lots of nooks and crannies to trap gold particles. Rough centre surface for breaking up chunks with a finger. It's not a design I've seen before though.

[-] WaterWaiver@aussie.zone 2 points 3 weeks ago

The rough (frit) glaze surface would be the opposite of what you want in a HV bushing, because they would wick and store conductive water.

Interestingly it's on the both the top and the bottom. Perhaps this high surface area makes it more compatible with some specific glues; allowing you to stack a pile of these pieces together to make a full bushing? That might also explain why there is not hole in the middle, this could be a compression style bushing stack for holding wires up in the air off a surface.

[-] Machinist@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

I don't know enough about high voltage to speak with any authority, but that totally sounds reasonable.

As for construction of original insulator, that's what I've decided as well. It's a stacked assembly. There are smaller versions.

It's a really big insulator and very possibly could have been used for mining power supply. There are mines within a 1/4 mile.

[-] CodingCarpenter@lemm.ee 2 points 3 months ago

crock-Pot or a bowl probably

[-] Machinist@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

The surface is too rough for use with food. It's like small gravel or big sand at the surface.

this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2024
26 points (100.0% liked)

What is this thing?

5618 readers
1 users here now

Let us help you identify that mysterious object you’ve found.

Currently in CHALLENGE mode: If you've got something obscure knocking about, post a picture, and let's see how we do. Please prefix such posts with "CHALLENGE:" so we know we've got a fighting chance.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
mykl@lemmy.world