Featured Gambling for silver...

Just a few random thoughts...

If the garland were intended to lift a lid, which would likely be hinged to whatever the container might be, believe an additional pivot would be necessary to lift it, and it would certainly need to raise higher than Nate indicates.

Doubtful that the missing bit/bits were silver, especially whatever goes on the bird, because the bolt would have been on the missing silver piece so that it could be fastened unseen under the base.

Usually, if a porcelain or glass bowl is attached with a bolt, a decorative nut-cap rather than a regular nut was used, giving an attractive finished look, so I find this nut a bit odd - suppose a deeper piece like a spill vase might hide it, but seems unlikely given that troublesome garland.

An asymmetrically shaped bowl (like a shell form) might benefit in particular from the garland holding it at the lip to keep it stable and in proper orientation, the nut basically hidden.

All that said, it's a mystery to me too, and having no luck in finding anything quite like it (but might be nice to know the size, rather than trying to gauge from the unknown size of the hand holding it)

~Cheryl

 

I keep expecting INH to ride in on a white horse & rescue us from our misery. Some sort of vessel/container seems natural for the dove pedestal, except, with that great big nut inside? Whole thing has to be for some very specific purpose, but...?

 

The original Pez dispenser perhaps.

 

My first thought is that it might hold an inkwell. Beautiful piece.

 

I was thinking a pen holder........

 

Not intended to hold liquid anyway, or salt; it would leak liquid and salt would corrode. Ashtray maybe?

 

what a sweet piece that is Mr Nate not even a guess as to what it could be