posted on September 18, 2000 04:11:50 PM new
Can anyone tell me what this is?
I got this "thing" at an auction Saturday. Nobody else would bid on it, so I got it for a great price because nobody knew what it was. Being the shrewd business person that I am, I figured if I could find out what it was I could sell it because apparently it is very rare and unique. It is made of cast iron and is very very heavy (it weighs about 8 lbs.) The dish part on the bottom is on 4 short legs, and is 11 inches long and 9 inches wide. The music thing that sticks up (OK experts, what's that part called?) is 6 1/2 inches tall, so all together the whole piece is about 7 1/2 inches tall. At the top of the music thing it is kind of pointed, and somebody said they thought maybe it was a shoe scraper for music people????? A dish to leave your tip money in????? A fancy door stop????? What do you think? It is in very good condition and has a VGM logo on the bottom. Hmmmm? Any suggestions?
PS--this is the first time I've tried posting a picture here so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works!
posted on September 18, 2000 04:20:46 PM new
Thanks Rainy-Bear! One of these days I'm going to figure out how to do that! I was hoping some Good Samaratin like you would come along and rescue me!
posted on September 18, 2000 04:24:17 PM new
I believe the musical instrument pictured there is a "lyre". A forerunner of the harp, it is supposed to be what King David in the Christian Old Testament played. Don't hold me to it, but I think that's what it is.
As for the use of the entire contraption, I surely don't know. Looks too nice to be a foot scraper, but perhaps it is. Maybe it for coins or candy.
posted on September 18, 2000 04:30:02 PM new
Hi Joycel--looks to be cast iron and sorta kinda repro--big time. From the pic furnished--can see the repro bumps in the cast iron.
May have originally been a boot scrape--but sorry to dash your hopes---looks like this item was made in the past 15 years. Too black---too perfect---those aforementioned bumps. Sorry
edited to add---old cast iron can be as smooth as a baby's bum due to age and use--just my experience.
[ edited by jeanyu on Sep 18, 2000 04:31 PM ]
posted on September 18, 2000 06:04:59 PM new
Thanks for your help! I just e-mailed the picture to my German brother-in-law, and he thinks it's a cigar holder for a piano bar. (?)
Joice--thanks for the info. I'm going to copy and paste it to use next time. And hey--I like your name even though you spell it kinda funny!
Jeanyu--repo or not, I only paid $2.50 for it so even if I use it for an elegant cat dish, I'll still come out ahead!
posted on September 18, 2000 06:10:59 PM new
It could be the lyre of Orpheus:
It features the Orpheus lyre from Greek mythology, the symbol of the Krewe of Orpheus. Orpheus in Greek mythology was a poet and musician. He was given his lyre by Apollo. He became such an excellent musician that when Orpheus played and sang, he moved everything animate and inanimate. His music enchanted trees, rocks, and tamed wild beasts. Even the rivers turned in their course to follow him.
posted on September 18, 2000 06:20:48 PM newjoyce1 ~ I definitely think it's a boot scraper. Go look at auction #437413340 or in general look at the boot scrapers on eBay and you can make up your own mind.
posted on September 18, 2000 06:35:44 PM new
Nowwhat--thanks for the reference. Mine looks just like that one, only cleaner! In their auction they stated that theirs was not a reproduction, so I've e-mailed them asking for more information. We'll see what they say because I agree with Jeanyu--this one looks too good to be old!
