rare slave item

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-PRISONER-BA ... 45f0ae8563

for the true collectors out there, this is truly unique. it was used to connect two slaves together on board ship during the middle passage so they could not escape.

this is a fantastic item that will never be seen again

No.

This is not a slave ship item.

In fact, I have never seen any record of iron balls being used in conjunction with restraints on any slave ship.

On the wreckage of many slave ships and even Spanish treasure ships that carried slaves which have been the subject of marine archaeology expeditions no such balls and chain devices have ever been found.

Sure, slaves were chained below decks with iron restraints but not with something like this.

Steve Santini

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-PRISONER-BA ... 45f0ae8563

for the true collectors out there, this is truly unique. it was used to connect two slaves together on board ship during the middle passage so they could not escape.

this is a fantastic item that will never be seen again

Sorry, Dusty, but my guess what you have here is an iron ball with two handles.

It's like the cow / horse restraints that keep popping up. It just happens there was more farming than slaving.

Nils

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-PRISONER-BA ... 45f0ae8563

for the true collectors out there, this is truly unique. it was used to connect two slaves together on board ship during the middle passage so they could not escape.

this is a fantastic item that will never be seen again

Hey Santini maybe you could make something out of it and flog it to some new guy who doesn't know anything , a nice addition to your cellar

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-PRISONER-BA ... 45f0ae8563

for the true collectors out there, this is truly unique. it was used to connect two slaves together on board ship during the middle passage so they could not escape.

this is a fantastic item that will never be seen again

Food, Weight, and cargo space were among the most important considerations aboard a ship. Slave ships carried 500 plus slaves, and the average ball and chain weighs approximately 20 pounds. This would have been a tremendous amount of wasted cargo weight that the crew could have used for cash product or food.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-PRISONER-BA ... 45f0ae8563

for the true collectors out there, this is truly unique. it was used to connect two slaves together on board ship during the middle passage so they could not escape.

this is a fantastic item that will never be seen again

What you have here is the counterweight for a gate closing mechanism. Opening the gate raises the ball and then the weight of the ball closes the gate.