Claw Foot Marble

[I'llhavethat1]

Thought this was pretty neat, usually these casters have a smaller "bullet mold" marble but this is definitely hand made. Even has what could be a patent date on the top which might be hard to make out in the pics. I don't know if there's a proper term for these casters since most are a more ornate "claw" setting so I called it a claw foot in the title.

Any Patent enthusiasts around that can shed some light. I wonder if Germany would patent something like this intended for export?

What do you think?

[Steph]

Can you make out the date? I have seen some U.S. patents for casters at google. quick example

Have also seen a site for foreign patents, but haven't had much luck searching there so far.

Does the marble roll freely?

[bigjohn691500]

THAT IS VERY PRIMITIVE AND COOL,, I COLLECT THEM WHEN I FIND THEM, HERES (sory dang caps lock was on, i type like schoder plays piano) anyway, heres one i have of a demon with a 3 inch 3 piece glass mib,,,bj

[I'llhavethat1]

Looks like 4 PAT APL 78 but it's rusty

That's a really interesting link, I was going to skip over the legalities at first, but interesting stuff. This is formed, not cast so the "marble" actually rolls. Cast claws probably wouldn't roll as well or maybe wouldn't be designed to roll in the first place, just slide.

[I'llhavethat1]

bigjohn, you mean primitive as in age or design? Or both? lol

Yours is cool, what do you think it came off of? I've seen a couple on piano stools or tables before but those are only about an inch or so.

The 78 meaning 1878 puts it in time frame for a handmade but instead of "Patent April 4 1878", maybe it's "patent applied for (4) 1878". Who knows, could be wishful thinking on my part and it's just some sort of manufacturer code that's partly illegible from the rust. but I'd love to know what they were originally mounted to.

[Steph]

I wonder if the patent was in the category of "design". Maybe the simple lines were the innovation.

"Design patent" at Wikipedia

If so, I don't know where to search for it. I found a design patent today for something else pretty quickly but I got lucky in the clues I was given. I don't know where to hunt for designs by date. [edit: I might have figured out how to hunt for designs by date, but I haven't hit on yours yet.]

[psia-antique]

THAT IS VERY PRIMITIVE AND COOL,, I COLLECT THEM WHEN I FIND THEM, HERES (sory dang caps lock was on, i type like schoder plays piano) anyway, heres one i have of a demon with a 3 inch 3 piece glass mib,,,bj

This the largest and rarest of the "clawfeet". This would have been on a very large table. It is called the "Green Man Series" with bullet mold mibs and is ascribed to Pennsylvania maker from 1890 to 1910.

[bigjohn691500]

This the largest and rarest of the "clawfeet". This would have been on a very large table. It is called the "Green Man Series" with bullet mold mibs and is ascribed to Pennsylvania maker from 1890 to 1910.

Thank you, i did not know that either i found one one day and went on a quest to find the set, finally after about 6 months i got em and then some, it was fun looking,, but yea they are huge, i sent a set to a good friend for helping me out one time but i still have a set and a couple extra huge mibs without the holders left,,,bj

primitive, yes old old, maybe used in an industial setting do to the lack of design,, furniture "ball and claw" feet had design to promote or add to the furniture's look, thats why i said primitive looking,,, bj