Chinese Taotie Metal Warmer Vessel

I guess with that poor casting it is most likely on the recent side? Plus, I don't think such vessel existed in ancient times. The wooden handle is mounted with screws but don't know if it is original.
Not sure what is the metal. It attracts to a magnet but no strongly.
Thanks

 

I have no idea on age, but it appears to be a Chinese silk iron

 

I've seen a few of these. I never figured out what they were.

How are they used? Presumably the basin is filled with hot coals or hot water or something, and then when the metal's warmed up, it's used to iron out wrinkles in silk?

 

>How are they used? Presumably the basin is filled with hot coals or hot water <

Like Manson ID, these are Chinese irons. They were used in China and a few other SE Asian countries. They fall into the category of "pan" irons. The theory was similar to box/charcoal irons used in Europe and America. According to the following website, the "Chinese were using hot metal for ironing before anyone else. Pans filled with hot coals were pressed over stretched cloth .............. A thousand years ago this method was already well-established."

The top of page tells a little about this type of "pan iron" with an illustration. The section "ironing in Asia" tells a bit more with a couple of links to more info and illustration:
http://www.oldandinteresting.com/antique-irons-smoothers-mangles.aspx

Here are a variety of "pan irons." Click a thumbnail to see description. As the page is in German, I have linked it with Google Translate:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.buegeleisen.net/c1.htm&hl=en&langpair=auto|en&tbb=1&ie=windows-1252

I'm not sure, but believe this particular pan iron is decorated in the Shang Dynasty style (style only not of that period) of taotie motif and leiwen thunder pattern in mirror image. Where the images meet is the crest. The 2nd pic posted above shows the crest on this iron. The big scrolls on each side are called C-horns:



Scroll down the page about 1/3rd of the way to the above pic and read description above it:
http://www.kenney-mencher.com/pic_old/china/Zhou_and_Shang.htm

--- Susan

 

Thanks for the info. Seems like mine handle is not original and the holes were drilled later. The alloy could be brass/bronze with a bit of iron content?

 

I'd suspect it is cast iron, made in late 20th C. Yes handle could be newer. IMO is a souvenir/deco item with no collector value.

 

Would not cast iron have stronger attraction to magnet?

 

Delighted to have that info, Susan! I have heard of these, but have never seen one -- new or old!

 

You could find out by testing same magnet on known piece of cast iron then on that thing. No real way for us out here to know, not knowing whether for example u are using a refrigerator magnet or an alnico speaker magnet, big difference in magnetism.

 

Using earth magnet. I know how cast iron should attract to it. Not the case here. Very little attraction.

 

Dunno on the exact metal, only visual clues are a few places showing black/brown/orange colors and patterns that look just like iron oxidation to me, where the coating is thin or missing. If not iron, it contains iron.

 

Have run across several of these in my area recently, all had what looked like the same handle, but can't tell if yours is decorated with fake coins as on the ones I've seen - they all appeared to be gilt low-quality cast brass, and of recent manufacture...

~Cheryl