Antique Lead (?) figure 6" tall. Clown-like figure over cauldron

The antique look almost "Halloween" look attracted me to this at the GW for .99. Base (seems to be some kind of stone or marble) is chipped and figure has some damage to its face.

Also, pretty sure it is missing something -- maybe a stirring spoon?

Not thinking resale, too much damage. Just a 99 cent adventure. Kind of curious who/what/where on this piece. DH took it apart and felt the metal might be lead. Also the base (under the figure when dust was removed) is shiny black, not speckled like the base appears in the photo underneath. Possible this had moisture damage or maybe used to have some kind of cover-- the square nut is really rusted.

Measures approx 6" tall, weighs 1.8 pounds.

When would something like this have been made? General comments welcome, too. Might be awesome for some kind of Halloween display. Just love the cauldron with carrots and vegetables strewn along the floor. Thanks.

 

Hi,
I remember reading a story about some army guys coming into a village where the inhabitants hid all of their food. One guy said he would make soup using an old axe head. He started the pot boiling with the axe head and smelled the water saying it would be so much better with an onion. Someone rustled up an onion for the pot. The guy put it into pot and stirred some more. More people came to the pot cooking and then the soldier said it needed a carrot. Someone found a carrot. This went on as more people found potatoes etc. Finally a huge pot of vegetable soup was made and everyone was amazed at how good the soup was made from an old axe head.
greg. This statute reminds me of that story.
greg

 

Love that story, Greg!

 

Very similar to the folk story Stone Soup!

 

I don't know about the cauldron, but he appears to be pierrot-inspired.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierrot

 

Hi SBSVC,
That was the name of the story Stone Soup. Perhaps my fading memory made it an axe head instead of a stone. Hell I do not even remember when I read it perhaps when I was a child. I am afraid I have forgotten more than I remember.
greg

 

Well, some axe heads were made of stone so the mix-up is understandable!

 

Match holder.

http://www.pijpenkabinet.nl/Smokiana/MMM-E-lucifersstandaards.html

 

Aha! So he was smoking.