They are NOT lightning arrestor parts ... that was my first guess.

Too small and variably spike length to be hose guards.

Too small to be gazing balls.

So...you went to a sale and bought a box of things not knowing what they are?

I would have too! No idea....kind of neat. Do they feel hollow?

Maybe a blacksmith's tool? Not sure! https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Chrome-Steel-Ball-Sphere-Blacksmith-Coppersmith-Tinsmith-SCA-Hardy-Hardie/251352767452?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D50543%26meid%3Ddacdbec4a86b433c9e022fb021cb22c2%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D380752398094%26itm%3D251352767452&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

I like the humor here! Good stuff. Fori, yes of course I bought them! And yes, they are hollow. But quite sturdy.

You go to a croquet court and plant one of these by pushing the spike into the ground and then watch the surprise when someone hits one with a mallet.

Nah- just kidding. I have no idea.

Could those be decorations for tops of posts?

A ball top for a flag pole?

Try putting one in the palm of your hand to see if it feels comfortable. I seem to remember something similar that was used to punch designs into plastic and leather. What I remember was wooden but no reason that what I am thinking of could not have been made of metal much later. Probably will end up being picks for very large Christmas commercial wreaths.

They remind me of knobs for the tops of metal bedsteads.

Hose guides is my guess.

Too small for hose guides and the spikes on them are a varied length. And I don't think they are for beds either. Same thing, the spikes are different lengths and some of the spikes unscrew and some do not.

??????? I still say something from outter space.....

Tee markers? But why different sizes? (I'm gonna pretend that the long ones screw apart so they fit into boxes better.)

My vote is flag pole finials for wood poles. To mount, bore a pilot hole and push the spike in. The ball is replaceable if the top of the spike is threaded.

Spikes with a hole through its head is an aid for tightening or loosening. Put a screwdriver through the slot to get leverage. (I see only one spike in the photo above that may be threaded on the pointy end. Its the one laying in the bottom of the box. There seems to be a white covering on the end of this spike.)

Flag pole finials in the link below are for metal poles and are threaded on the ends opposite of the heads. Many other variations can be found.

https://www.gettysburgflag.com/hardware-accessories/ornaments-finials

Two wood flag poles with ball finials. Click on images to enlarge.
https://ogtstore.com/exterior-materials-salvaged/twenty-two-foot-wooden-flag-poles-with-ball-finial/

OK, so some of the spikes have a hole in them, and some unscrew from the base of the ball. All of the spikes appear to have a narrower tip end than the rest of the shaft. Are these smaller tips fixed, or do they seem be spring-loaded, or to work like a piston? I’m still clueless, but curiosity has me going.i

They look like golf course markers to me. The golf course by me when I was a kid had round ones and square ones. Different spike lengths to accommodate if using on a green/fairway/sandtraps? Some are screwtops to change out for other markers, only the other markers aren't included or may have been lost somewhere along the way?

Not big enough for golf course markers. I have some of those from another sale. They are much bigger. I will take some additional pictures this weekend and post those with some of the details that hounds_x_two requested above.

Here are some additional pictures. There are a total of 8. Of course, I don't know if there were more at one time. But there are eight now. They feel fairly heavy in hand but not heavy enough for them to be solid. I believe they are hollow. One of the spikes unscrews but it looks like possibly the others unscrewed and have been sealed. One spike is much longer than the others. The one on the far right has its spike broken off.

Hmmm....so obviously the ones with the lateral hole in the spike were meant to have the spike driven into something and secured with a pin in the hole....and then you could remove the ball and the spike would stay. But,,,,why?
Very obviously they are not flagpole finials...way too small to top a wooden pole longer than 5 or 6 feet and those are broom handle in size and wouldn't take having that spike driven in without splitting.
Some sort of a game? Where the one with the lateral hole is permenantly positioned and the others can be moved?

Perhaps temporary sight markers for surveying property....are they magnetic?

No. Not magnetic. Although that was a good question.

Float switch balls.

Hmmmm.. my first atempt at linking is not working.

https://arthurharris.com/products/arthur-harris/stainless-steel-floats/

Try this link

Wouldn't the post need to be threaded on both ends for that?

Hi Fori,

They attach in different ways for different purposes. Let me see if I can find another.

http://stainlesssteelfloatballs.com/

That site seems to have a lot of that type.

This one has the connector style.

http://www.solar-water-performance.com/img/ball-float-valve.jpg

lindac:

Quote by lindac: "Very obviously they are not flagpole finials...way too small to top a
wooden pole longer than 5 or 6 feet and those are broom handle in size
and wouldn't take having that spike driven in without splitting."

Sorry to disappoint you, but, those balls are not too small. The size of the ball is dependent on the size of the flag pole. There are plenty of small poles inside buildings and attached on the sides of buildings and these use balls about 3 inch in diameter. The balls in the box shown by the original poster seem to be about 3 inch diameter.

You did not read my post where I mentioned that a hole needs to be drilled in wood to accommodate the spike, a common woodworking procedure. Also, the ball spike could be inserted in a tubular metal pole.

The link below shows flag pole balls starting at 3 inch diameter.

https://flagpolesetc.com/hardward-finials/balls

Then if they fit on a flagpole, with the pointed end...why would you have to drill a hole? The small poles that I know, inside buildings seem to usually have an eagle finial.
I have a 15 foot flag pole in my yard and the ball on top is lots larger than 3 inches in diameter.

You have a 15 ft pole. I agree. The appropriate ball size would be in the range of 5 to 8 inch diameter.

Finials for indoor poles come in a variety of shapes and styles. Eagles are popular as well as crosses, spear points, balls, organization emblems. and other decorative pieces.