Can you guess what this is?

14 years ago

Because I don't have a clue and it's driven me crazy for a very long time.

Had a chunkier candle in it when I got it, but I doubt it's a candle holder. (Unless there was at one time an inner piece that a standard candle would rest on. No wax residue tho.) It's not a vase, inside is hollow clear through to the bottom. Sort of looks like it could have been bottom portion of a lamp, but there's no hole coming out of base to accommodate wiring. And it would be one very small lamp. ;)

If you look at the pic of the interior view from the top, there is a worn band on the inside, about 1 1/4" from the top rim, as if something rested down in the copper and made constant contact at that spot.

It's 7" tall.

4 3/4" wide at the base.

2 1/4" wide at the top.

Top portion is copper.

Bottom base is brass.

Band between copper and brass and ornamental 'arms' are same material. At first glance looks like old pewter, but it's too heavy and hard. Maybe brittania metal?

A magnet does not stick to any parts of it.

The top of each ornamental 'arm' is screwed into the copper. Bottom of each ornament 'arm' is screwed into the brass base.

It was probably meant to be stationary, carrying it by the 'arms' is awkward, I'm unable to get two fingers between arm and base.

Here are pics.

Front view:

Looking down inside the top, that darker worn ring area I mentioned earlier can be seen. Further down beyond that are screws holding top of ornamental arms.

Bottom, looking clear through inside to top

Angle view of screws securing 'arms' to base:

Close up of screws on the bottom

Next to a standard size spice jar for proportion:

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Comments (13)

antiquesilver
14 years ago
I don't know what it is, but I bet it was silverplated at one time. Part of an epergne (sp?), maybe????
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User
14 years ago
Possible meant to hold a glass flower holder?
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lindac
14 years ago
good guess, Antiquesilver.
And I agree on silverplated. There was more on the bottom and perhaps a glass bowl on top, that fit down to the 'mark" you showed.
Linda c
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moonshadow
Original Author
14 years ago
Huh, interesting.
I've not seen - or at least paid attention - to these.
Here's the first I found that has a metal base and an insert.
RE: it being silverplated, do you mean the whole thing? Or just parts? I can see maybe the 'pewter/brittania' gray parts, there is some shine to the outermost edge. But there's no evidence of any residue anywhere on the body like it wore off. What I'm trying to say is the metal is quite clean as-is. (Tho something did throw me a bit. The base looks brass, but if you look at the underside of the base, it's got patina like copper and under the patina is both gold and hints of copper. Thought that was odd.) Unless somebody did something to strip the plate off intentionally?
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moonshadow
Original Author
14 years ago
to say thanks for the leads!
Sheesh.
One of those mentalpause moment's dlm was just referring to elsewhere :o
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DLM2000-GW
14 years ago
What? Who me? Did I say something? Sorry, can't remember :-/
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lindac
14 years ago
Sad to say, a few years back, it was the "thing" to buy worn items out of copper and Britannia which had worn silver plate, and strip the silver off....and have the silver to sell and also a "copper coffee pot with pewter trim".
I suspect this piece was a victim.
Un fortunatly I can't easily find a picture....
Also some copper,brass and britannia items were also chrome plated.
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karinl
14 years ago
Kerosene lamp, missing fuel container below and missing glass shade on top?

I like it unplated :-)

KarinL
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jemdandy
14 years ago
Its too tall for a pencil holder. Could it be a holder for artifical flowers? But then why the hole all the way through? Maybe pieces are missing.

Let's suppose it was fitted with a plastic liner and flowers were loaded therein. A litle water in the liner and you have a bouquet for a day.
wehn the boquet is finished, grab the liner and flowers and pull out and discard - not fuss, no mess.
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houseplantlover
14 years ago
I say a candle holder.
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Ideefixe
14 years ago
I think it's part of an epergne, and may have had a glass insert. It looks Deco to me.
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stolenidentity
14 years ago
I think it is part of a lamp base and the pics are actually upside down.
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moonshadow
Original Author
14 years ago
Did some reading, seem they (whomever 'they' were, because I haven't found why they did it) not only stripped silver off, sometimes it was actually applied over antique pewter *huge gasp from an antique pewter lover*.

I tend to lean toward exactly what ideefixe said, so far.

sasafras, I turned it upside down, stared at it, poked it, don't think it would work. Copper is super light, brass end super heavy, so upside down one poke sends it wobbling. ;)
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