Cast Pewter Tripod _____???

Cast Pewter Tripod _____???


I collect eggcups and bought these two on Sunday at a French brocante. Then I spent a couple of hours cleaning them in disinfected water and washing-up liquid. Inside and outside were thickly covered in greasy dust and dirt.

Other people that I have shown the photographs to have suggested they could also be candleholders or fortified wine goblets. I would welcome this groups view on what they are intended to be.

The main material is pewter, and there is a brass cup insert. The body is cast, and is heavily embossed with a grape and vine pattern.

I have possibly found a maker’s mark, “a horse or foal” lying on the ground, although it is possible it could be the result of a vivid imagination and hope, or just spelter [photograph 10]. There is certainly no Hall Mark or maker’s name.

The bottoms of the eggcups/goblets are damaged by a hole(s) in them photographs 4,5 & 7]. Assuming the lost wax process was used to cast them, would it have been necessary to fit and seal a thin skin to close off the bottom of the cup? The alternative cause of the damage might have been somebody trying to remove the brass inserts. The inserts have a small hole drilled in them at the top. It could be that the inserts are iron coated with a gilt paint, seems a bit odd [photographs 8 & 9].

Weight: 133g; and 165g
Liquid volume: 30ml
Height: 62mm
Diameter: 40mm top internal; 54mm bowl external

The pewter is black, either from old age or induced for decorative effect.

Do you think they could be very old and of interest to a museum? Is there a museum I could approach? Would it be best to keep the finish as it is, or re-establish the original pristine silver look it had when it was made? If the latter, can you give me an indication of the best way to remove this heavy oxidization.

Thank you for your help and time.

Photo 1


Photo 2


Photo 3


Photo 4


Photo 5


Photo 6


Photo 7


Photo 8


Photo 9


Photo 10

 

The brass lining suggests something that shouldn't come in contact with pewter. I'd guess salt cellars.

Drinking fortified wine from a thick-rimmed tripod is cumbersome. And they are probably a bit smaller than fortified wine glasses (port size).

 

I tried drinking from it at great personal risk and it was remarkably comfortable with the rounded lip. Also it seemed a bit too deep and narrow to remove salt, unless one turns it on its side, unlike these Georgian ones that are wide and shallow. Thinking further, that's where a 'pinch of salt' comes from.



Photo by me (R. de Salis Rodolph (talk) 00:05, 23 November 2014 (UTC)) of a pair of George IV Irish silver Chinoiserie salt cellars, by William Nowlan, Dublin, 1825.

 

A pinch of salt is a quote from the Roman researcher, historian and writer Pliny the Elder, who advised a grain of salt as an antidote for poison. Over time and translation, the grain became a pinch.
So when you take something with a pinch or grain of salt, you are careful of its content (and use an antidote against it). You don't take something with a pinch or grain of salt because there is any relation with a shallow salt cellar.

 

Thank you. One learns something every time one visits Antiquers.

 

Brass would react worse to salt than tin would

The brass is to keep the candle from melting through the tin

 

I'm coming round to considering it is most likely a drinking goblet. The standard fortified wine volume of a shot of brandy in France is 25ml and 35ml. If my morning works out I should have time to visit the main museum in Chalon-sur-Saone, and see if they can give me an opinion. Even today, there are many family licences to distil the lees or sludge from the wine into a brandy or fortified wine.

 

And not even a pinch of salt can save you. I don't know if the brass lining would help, when the drink passes the rim it would still touch the pewter.

Brian, whatever they were made for, they are now part of your egg cup collection.

 

They look to me like inkwells missing their lids (have seen them with similar brass liners), likely off an inkstand...

~Cheryl

 

In photo 2 it looks flat like it would lay over. Pretty bright for brass! Crazy but it looks like high karat gold.

 

Ongoing internet issues all day, but a quick search on my phone found this inkwell with brass insert:

https://www.aspireauctions.com/#!/catalog/372/2148/lot/103982


And this one (which I covet), the insert appearing to have a similar small hole on the lip:

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/d...well-head-medusa/id-f_10459093/#zoomModalOpen

~Cheryl

 

Oh yes, it is stunning!

 

I'll have to add inkwell to my list of possibilities. I think half the membership of Antiquers will covet Medusa, it's stupendous.