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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: Home Farm on April 14, 2014, 08:33:27 AM

Title: Old bowling balls??
Post by: Home Farm on April 14, 2014, 08:33:27 AM

What do you think these are? Someone told me old bowling balls but I can't find anything like them on google images. Thanks for any help.

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: mart on April 14, 2014, 09:04:25 AM

How big are they ?? Where are you located ??

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: Home Farm on April 14, 2014, 10:57:06 AM

Hi there, they are 6" across and about 3" high. I should have said this of course ha ha, pictures tell you nothing without context! I am in Dorset, UK.

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: mart on April 14, 2014, 02:38:59 PM

I can`t find anything associated with a game of any kind using these !!  Maybe Ipcress will know what they are,,he is also in the UK !!

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: Home Farm on April 14, 2014, 03:01:20 PM

Thanks for looking for me. They are a puzzle.

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: KC on April 14, 2014, 10:29:47 PM

Hmmm...they look like the really old version of shuffleboard pucks!  But are rather large.  Bet it was a early version of the game!
Growing up in Florida outdoor shuffleboard was a big thing.  The game came from Europe and has been traced back over 500 years.

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: Home Farm on April 14, 2014, 11:33:10 PM

Thanks for that idea, it gives me another tack to try. I have no idea how to find out about them!

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: Home Farm on April 14, 2014, 11:51:13 PM

Wow, that really did help. I think I have discovered what they are now but still no idea how old these ones are. I think they might be Feather Bowls from Belgium. It is only played in one cafe in the US, in Detroit, Michigan, but still played in Belgium. The description and pictures 'wooden cheese wheel' make me think I am on the right track now. Thanks for the new ideas and help. Now I need to see if I can find out how old they are!

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: KC on April 15, 2014, 02:52:14 PM

Great that it helped!  Just searched feather bowling and it sure seems your pucks are for that game!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_y4DIYtdD_J4/S75dAMNNpeI/AAAAAAAAJKk/GrOni2cj-JM/s400/DSC00898.jpg)

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: Home Farm on April 15, 2014, 02:59:41 PM

Yes I agree. They also state that there are twelve balls in a set. One of mine has a X carved into it, one has XII and the other one has either III or IV or VI I can make out which. I would love to find out how old they are. They are in very rough condition, covered in old woodworm holes, cracks and chips. Maybe they have played many a game! Also, what to do with them now? How do I find out if they are worth anything? Thanks for the help.

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: mart on April 15, 2014, 06:20:21 PM

Learned something new !! Never heard of that game !! Shuffleboard I know is the smaller stand up kind !! Every bar around used to have one !! 

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: KC on April 15, 2014, 07:15:31 PM

Mart, I grew up next to Lakeland, Florida and the games here were big in the 60's to 70's.  It is starting a comeback in popularity in that area!

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FW1l5PrHvVg/Twd9vCegPyI/AAAAAAAAHA0/npjvsQTnEnw/s1600/image30.jpg)

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Shuffleboards_courts_and_bowling_greens%2C_Lakeland%2C_Florida.jpg/800px-Shuffleboards_courts_and_bowling_greens%2C_Lakeland%2C_Florida.jpg)


Sorry got sidetracked HomeFarm. :)

I'll keep digging...

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: Home Farm on April 15, 2014, 11:47:02 PM

Love those pictures! Of course you do everything bigger in the States, all those shuffleboard courts in a row!! And also we don't do so much of the outside here in England. Ha ha. Too rainy!

Title: Re: Old bowling balls??
Post by: KC on April 17, 2014, 12:25:45 PM

You could play in raincoats!  :)