Help with a Cast Iron Dogs Letter Holder

I purchased this cast iron (or some other metal) letter holder with 2 dogs on a marble base. At least, that's what I think it is. Has anyone ever seen one like it? I'm having trouble figuring out the ins and outs so I can write an ebay listing making people want it, LOL! The dogs look like Airedales to me, please correct if I'm wrong (not a dog person). When I tap on the dogs, it sounds hollow, although there are no seams on the bodies. So I think there are holes in their paws where I believe they are attached to the marble base. But I don't know how they're attached, I'm just deducing that from the stains around the paws on the base. Also, when I tap on them, I begin to doubt that the metal is cast iron, seems too thin-ish from the sound and possibly the weight of this item is from the marble, not the dogs. Can anyone provide any addl. information? I would like to know how old it is, who made it (if possible, not marked), how it likely was assembled, things like that. It measures 6 3/4" x 4" x 6 1/2" high. Thanks for your help!

 

Does a magnet stick?
Could it be a bookend? Just a thought
Probably glued on since there is no hardware under the marble?
Cute, I like it.

 

Could be bronze. Why not? (Could be spelter.) Check the bellies and the inside of the legs for marks.

 

I checked with a magnet and nothing happens, so I guess not Iron. Could they still be spelter, since they're hollow? Maybe tin or aluminum? But that confuses me since there is no evidence of paint chipping, it appears to be something that is naturally black. May be glued, the stains at the paws I thought might be from cleaning and contact with water since there are teeny water marks on one paw. Maybe I should write one of those 3 line ebay listings you see more and more now: "1 Black metal Airedale dogs letter holder, 2 measures . . . 3 Happy bidding!" So EZ!

 

"1 Black metal Airedale dogs letter holder, 2 measures . . . 3 Happy bidding!"


Ola402, you're so baaaaad. LOL

 

My guess would be patinated spelter.

The Airedale is an unhappy breed without binocular vision for much of its field of view because the snout is so high. Like many distorted dogs, it should be allowed to become extinct or bred back into the main dog line.

 

Didn't know that about Airedales. So many breeds have problems. I saw on TV not long ago where a Vet said that it's now very common to do surgery on Bulldog's noses just so they can breathe.

 

And I forgot to say, Thanks for all your comments, very helpful.

 

They look like Kerry Blues ?


Didn't see the other posts till now?
Yes Airdales, Kerrys have a hairier face

 

Hi,
Very nice piece. I do not think it is a letter holder, feel like it is a nice
decorative item. These guys were very popular in the 20s/30s. I have had door stops and book ends but they had flat edges.
greg

 

So sorry, but I haven't been back here until today. I've been horribly busy and set the dogs aside for awhile to work on other things that I'm better acquainted with. Skeezix, thank you so much for your comments. I'll post a photo in the next 24 with a close up of the line you refer to. After more eyeballing, I believe you're correct about how they're mounted, it has to be pegs and when I plunk the dogs, they sound hollow. Ok, be back at ya, soonest.

 

I took some photos of the seam along the dogs' backs. It looks to me like the dogs were cast in two parts and then fused together, maybe like soldering. The seam appears to have been filed or smoothed over somehow. Also, I am noticing a slight green cast to the metal, but an overall black appearance. Thanks!