Lady's Crystal Cuspidor/Spittoon: Inscribed for Xmas, 1883

An antique mall discovery in the late 90's.
Some of the inscription is a bit illegible; those words are underlined here:

To Lady K. from Capt. Weed, Merry Christmas Dec 24, 1883

Caisson Corps BC Scotland #401
of Ireland Dist. 1

It's very well formed, with a polished pontil. It doesn't fluoresce under black light; it weighs 1016 grams; it's 4 1/8" high by 6 1/2" diameter at the rim and at the basin, maximum.

I have spent a good deal of time trying to ID the Caisson Corps BC of Ireland, Scotland #401 District 1, and the good Captain Weed, all without any increment of success. My home is 18 miles south of Victoria, B.C., across the Strait of Juan De Fuca, so the local connection should be some helpful...but so far it has not been.

An intriguing bauble, nonetheless; I wonder who Lady K. was...and if the cuspidor was a courting gift from Captain Weed. Idle speculation, of course, but...

As always, my gratitude for your precious attention!

 

I know it looks like a cuspidor, but... really? The contents of a cuspidor aren't something people would generally want to look at. I suspect (hope?) it had a different use.

 

@springfld.arsenal Does this Cassion Corps ring a bell?

 

Yes Kiko-There's a militaria records expert out there (I'd think ?).Wonderful eccentric piece-Capt. Weed belongs at Downton or Brideshead.

 

She already tagged the guy, Bosko.

 

Looks more like a magnolia bowl vase to me..

 

More romantic than a thing to spit into.

 

Very cool piece - could it have been used as a squat forcing bulb vase for something like hyacinth?

 

Never a hyacinth, they produce WAY too much rootage.

 

thanks for the heads up Bakers.

 

That is interesting. A client gave me an early 20th amethyst glass hyacinth vase with a bulb. It did wonderful until hubby broke the vase!

 

Arg! I feel your pain.