A curious thing, this old cast iron fisted hand weighs nearly 4 pounds, and based on another similar I have found out there sold by another dealer, I believe it might originally have been a gate weight--perhaps for a church gate, with the cross at the base--but I'm not 100% certain. There is a recess on the reverse side of the hand--perhaps to which somehow a chain once attached. The other similar I found was dated to Civil War era, and I might guess this one is that old. Free standing (though I personally especially like it laying horizontally) it's great now as a sculptural object (and obviously works brilliantly as a large paperweight), pehaps to be taken as a symbol of spiritual fortitude, or maybe as a hand of mercy. 

5 3/4" t x 2 7/8" w x 1 7/8" d.  Rust to the surface all over, but completely sound and stable.