Bearing assembly. Tag reads "The Star Ball Retainer Co." and accompanying information from the donor found in the object file.
Use in a 1913 district court case: Hess-Bright Mfg. vs Fichtel & Sachs. This ball bearing was "defendents' exhibit brought to the U.S. by Ernst Sachs in 1904." Owned by Jack L. Straub.
Crudely carved, polished wood. Two piece instrument of squarish, tapered piece and round dowel. Squarish piece has U-shaped, fork carved at bottom to accommodate rope. Fork is 2.5in long, 1in wide and 1.5in high. Dowel passes through a hole drilled into the forked piece -- opposite to the forked end -- and nailed on one side.