What are these?

Anyone know?

We're going to an auction tomorrow, and these things are very pretty but I have no idea what they are or what you would do with them.

I'm looking at the ornament-looking things, not the piggy bank or the glass egg. There's 5 of them in the lot plus the piggy bank. They are roughly 6" in length, plus the chain link that attaches a teardrop-cut crystal at the bottom and a pewter-painted/enameled (?) ornament on top. The two I looked at closely have a butterfly on one, dragonfly on the other. Above that is a closure to attach it to (???) that looks like a heavy-duty necklace closure.




Another lady was looking at them and asked me if I knew what they were. We were both stumped. They are pretty heavy - too heavy to be a Christmas Ornament (wrong season, at least in the northern hemisphere). Would be lovely as a window hanger (you know, hang it in a window for decoration) but as they are round they wouldn't hang. I can only think they would be part of a mobile? But that's a total shot in the dark!

Looks like tree decorations to me.

Are they handpainted? enameled? They are glass? Are they lightweight or heavy?

Not sure of what they are either?

Originally Posted by GailC

Are they handpainted? enameled? They are glass? Are they lightweight or heavy?

Not sure of what they are either?

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Gail I have to admit that I'm not entirely sure if the coloring is done by hand or not. I believe they are enameled, and definitely not glass. They are pretty heavy - definitely solid. Not heavy like they are made of lead, more the weight of solid hardwood.

I'm still holding out hope that someone here sees them and laughs at all of us for not knowing!

They look to be blown glass bulbs, I've seen them, usually painted more like stained glass.
They are simply decorative items, kinda like 3 dimensional light catchers.

If they are heavyish, they are light pulls. You attach them to the chain that turns on a ceiling fixture to make the chain look better. You can use them on ceiling fans too

Are they suncatcher type things?

Originally Posted by Arlyn

They look to be blown glass bulbs, I've seen them, usually painted more like stained glass.
They are simply decorative items, kinda like 3 dimensional light catchers.

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Originally Posted by stephanietx

Are they suncatcher type things?

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I would agree with both of you except they are solid. The only thing that would catch light is the small - maybe 1/2" long - crystal at the bottom.

Originally Posted by sk_pacer

If they are heavyish, they are light pulls. You attach them to the chain that turns on a ceiling fixture to make the chain look better. You can use them on ceiling fans too

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They're definitely heavy. They seem awful big to me to be light pulls. They're ~4-5" long and a good 2" diameter at the widest spot. That's the best explanation that fits them so far.

I think you need to visit the Antique Roadshow... Hey, you never know, they have things on that show that I think are junk and they get valued at thousands of dollars.

Anyway, sorry I can't help, I've got no idea what they might be. Maybe some sort of decorative painted gourd ornamental type things. They look spring/Easterish to me...?

You know, they can be those things that were hung in old bathroom fixtures.

http://www.google.com.ph/imglanding?...w=1680&bih=949

Someone's craft project?

Or as my Dad would say,"It's a layover to catch meddlers".

This is toooo funny, I even asked my hubby and my we had friends over last night and they guessed ornaments for the Christmas tree. I was going to say blown glass suncatcher's but you said they are solid!! Don't have a clue, although I have seen those before..... Can't wait to see if any here really knows exactly what they are

Originally Posted by sk_pacer

If they are heavyish, they are light pulls. You attach them to the chain that turns on a ceiling fixture to make the chain look better. You can use them on ceiling fans too

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Originally Posted by yayi

You know, they can be those things that were hung in old bathroom fixtures.

http://www.google.com.ph/imglanding?...w=1680&bih=949

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I'd guess either of the above, or pulls to attach to draw drapes. I vaguely recall seeing something like that attached to heavy curtains, but I don't remember where.

They have the potential to become someone's yard art!

Originally Posted by valanhb

They're definitely heavy.

They seem awful big to me to be light pulls. They're ~4-5" long and a good 2" diameter at the widest spot. That's the best explanation that fits them so far.

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Light pulls were fairly large. They were to provide a grip to pull the chain and some were very elaborate probably because light bulbs were mostly bare way back then. They were far better than the idiotic pulls on the chains of my ceiling fans - those are slightly tapered, and only a bit larger on the bottom, and so light that if you miss the first grab, they swing almost as much as a missed chain.

The Jolly Green Giant's wife's earrings?

Originally Posted by LDG

The Jolly Green Giant's wife's earrings?

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You ham! That made me laugh out loud.

They're pretty, but I have no theories to offer!

Looks like Christmas tree ornaments.

Originally Posted by LDG

The Jolly Green Giant's wife's earrings?

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Good guess

The decoration looks to me like cloisonne. We have a couple of cloisonne pieces, though no ornaments, as these seem to be. Here is a wikipedia article about the technique and its history. I also found a bunch of hits for cloisonne ornaments, but none with large enough illustrations to really make a comparison with your photo. Hope that gives you something to work with.