Ball and Chain - is it real?

I bought a ball and chain at a garage sale today in Arkansas and came across this site while trying to doing research it. I have not been able to find any similar ball and chains in my couple or hours of internet research, though this site has taught me a lot. I think the chain looks old, and the leather in the shackle looks old. The padlock has a patent from either 1882 or 1892, I can't quite read it. But it seems like there are a lot of fake restraint items out there, so any help in identifying how old this is, what it may have been used for, or what it may be worth would be awesome.

Thanks,
Chris

I see on the ball - marks from an angle grinder and electric welding, so it's not that old. The leather is held on with sharp twisted wire which would not pass any safety standards. It is just a made up item.
Odd chain. I have no idea whats going on there. Maybe someone else has seen that before?

I bought a ball and chain at a garage sale today in Arkansas and came across this site while trying to doing research it. I have not been able to find any similar ball and chains in my couple or hours of internet research, though this site has taught me a lot. I think the chain looks old, and the leather in the shackle looks old. The padlock has a patent from either 1882 or 1892, I can't quite read it. But it seems like there are a lot of fake restraint items out there, so any help in identifying how old this is, what it may have been used for, or what it may be worth would be awesome.

Thanks,
Chris

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The lock was made by the Safe Lock Company and has a warded mechanism. It is not very secure and can easily be picked. It was most likely just put on for show. It would not be the type of lock used in a real situation.

The date on the lock is the patent date and does not mean that the ball & chain are from the same time period. I was most likely used in the 1920-1940's time period.

Ron

I bought a ball and chain at a garage sale today in Arkansas and came across this site while trying to doing research it. I have not been able to find any similar ball and chains in my couple or hours of internet research, though this site has taught me a lot. I think the chain looks old, and the leather in the shackle looks old. The padlock has a patent from either 1882 or 1892, I can't quite read it. But it seems like there are a lot of fake restraint items out there, so any help in identifying how old this is, what it may have been used for, or what it may be worth would be awesome.

Thanks,
Chris

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Seems of the ornamental type you sometimes see strung between iron posts in front of vintage homes or office buildings.


S.S.

I bought a ball and chain at a garage sale today in Arkansas and came across this site while trying to doing research it. I have not been able to find any similar ball and chains in my couple or hours of internet research, though this site has taught me a lot. I think the chain looks old, and the leather in the shackle looks old. The padlock has a patent from either 1882 or 1892, I can't quite read it. But it seems like there are a lot of fake restraint items out there, so any help in identifying how old this is, what it may have been used for, or what it may be worth would be awesome.

Thanks,
Chris

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I would discount the lock entirely, as there is no way to link it with the ball and chain. It's just a neat lock.

The shackle has been electric arc-welded to the ball, and the ball has been "cleaned up" with an electric grinder. The chain appears to be modern, electro-welded chain. I have no idea what the cross bars are, but they're arc-welded in place.


I'm not sure what the lining is. It appears to be an old piece of horse tack that has been cut to length. It's held in place with concrete rebar tie wire.

It's modern construction. A turn of the century blacksmith would have done much nicer work.

I bought a ball and chain at a garage sale today in Arkansas and came across this site while trying to doing research it. I have not been able to find any similar ball and chains in my couple or hours of internet research, though this site has taught me a lot. I think the chain looks old, and the leather in the shackle looks old. The padlock has a patent from either 1882 or 1892, I can't quite read it. But it seems like there are a lot of fake restraint items out there, so any help in identifying how old this is, what it may have been used for, or what it may be worth would be awesome.

Thanks,
Chris

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Well, there you go, I had no idea. I appreciate all of the expertise of this group.

I bought a ball and chain at a garage sale today in Arkansas and came across this site while trying to doing research it. I have not been able to find any similar ball and chains in my couple or hours of internet research, though this site has taught me a lot. I think the chain looks old, and the leather in the shackle looks old. The padlock has a patent from either 1882 or 1892, I can't quite read it. But it seems like there are a lot of fake restraint items out there, so any help in identifying how old this is, what it may have been used for, or what it may be worth would be awesome.

Thanks,
Chris

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I echo that the shackle and chain is modern due to the electro-welding. The little welded plates on the chain being evenly spaced might have been done so you could not grab the chain and lift the ball. I think it was meant to make the prisoner have to lift the heavy ball and not just pick it up by the chain. I agree with others in that this wasn't used in a jail or prison but created for some play in a private setting.