ID Help?
 

I need some help identifying this - was given to me long ago by an old timer who is now deceased. He knew I was into eel rigging - told me it was used in the past for rigging eels. Seems to look like a wobble plate of some sort. Only identifying text on it is PAT'D so it was patented. Has a small hole on pointed end and line connector on wobble plate. Sea Dangles also has the only other one I've seen. Thanks for any help.

DZ

How old do you think it is? Patents before 1976 are searchable by patent # and/or classification only. I think the classification is 43/42.31
My connection is too slow and/or I am too impatient for that search.

Its a penny.

Arnold Laine, most likely the greatest commercial bass fisherman who ever worked the Cape Cod sands, had a device he invented that rumor has it, he made and had it patented. It never made it to the commercial market but a few were handed out over the years. It was for rigging eels and it was a wobble plate. What you have, and I have only seen one, may be it cause it looks like the one I saw. If it is in fact one, you have a little treasure. (He also made his own plugs which he called "Beaver cuttings", I have seen a few and would love to someday have one or two but the guy I know who has them won't give them up)

Arnold was a machinist by trade, which he went back to in later life. He worked until retirement at Starret Twist Drill in Athol, MA. so he would have had the tools to make these things. Nice find.

Would that be
 

MR. E. P.?

no, someone nice but not nutz.