What is this heavy brass orb?

Any ideas what this is?

"Plumb bob" and "clock weight" have been suggested, but I don’t think I’d want to be under this if it was suspended by the small loops at the ends. They don’t seem strong enough.

It’s 6.5” in diameter and weighs 40 lbs! Because of the shape and not-large size, it feels more like 80 lbs when trying to pick it up.

It’s brass. It is not solid, but it is filled with something very heavy. I cannot find any way to open it up.

 

Chandelier counterweight, possibly.

 

Maybe more of a counter weight or something.

 

HAS to be filled with GOLD!!!!

 

That thought has crossed my mind, more than once. Great place to hide it.
But I would expect something more like lead.

 

I don't think it is a "Plumb bob" or "clock counterweight". It appears designed to sit in a rope, with both ends of the rope tied to the ball. Perhaps a counterweight for "dumb waiter" (with apologises if I have offended anybody); but it seems too pretty to hide away out of sight.

Photograph 2 seems to suggest it might be effective on a bowling green.