• Old Antique Cast Lead Metal Fertility Amulet Phallic Unique
  
• Antique
  
• Lost wax casting
  
• Trench art
  
• Lead
  
• Phallic
  
• Amulet
  
• 1.75" in length
  
• Used
  

How I came to own such an interesting piece:

I purchased a box lot of buttons, most of which were shell buttons with natural backs and some Civil War era bone buttons at a local estate auction in SW Ohio. This amulet was at the bottom. When I first saw him, I thought he was a rock..... until I turned him over. It took a minute for it to register what I was looking at. I quickly showed him to my husband, the conversation went something like this:

"It's a rock."

"NO, it is NOT a rock, look again".

"It's a rock, you bought a rock."

I take it away from him and hand it to my best friend:

"It's a rock".

AHHHHH! It's NOT a rock!

Her husband however starts laughing immediately. I knew then I wasn't crazy, he's seeing the same thing I am. :)

He has been posted on several forums for an identification or ideas on age, origin, anything, but nothing could be narrowed down. I received many theories, from very old to late 19th - early 20th Century. No one has ever seen one of these in this position before.

A couple of theories that seemed plausible where that wood or simular material was carved into the desired form, then lead was poured into/onto it, along the lines of lost-wax/lost mould casting. You can see the line on the side of the 'amulet' where it "muffined" over leaving the raw bubbly rough back side. Trench Art had also been suggested. Thank you to all the people that took the time to take a look and offer suggestions.

I believe him to be lead, I used an awl and was able to make a teeny dent on the rough bubbly looking back side (you'll probably never find it) and it was shiny under all that patina.

He's attracted to something, but it wasn't magnets. :)

The figure side of the amulet is "worry stone" smooth on the raised areas.

I'd have to say that "he" could possibly be one of a kind. Could be quite old, and might should be in a Museum instead of in my vintage coffee, pot hidden away for safety.

He is small, measures approximately 1.75" in "length" and about 5/16" at his thickest point (laying flat).

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