I recently purchased these solid brass cups and the third matching decorative item. The ring-shaped piece says R. Stebbins on the bottom in permanent marker on the soft black foam. The pieces are stamped RS on the bottom, along with 68, ORE, numbers 1 and 3 (probably a 2 beneath the foam on the ring). There are remnants of ceramic material in the bottom of the cups from the mold, casting, or forging process. I think they are kind of odd. The only artist I can find with a name that is a possible match is Roland Stebbins. The dog breeds appear to be Poodle and Labrador or Golden Retriever. I attempted a density test and came up with something around 8.3 g/cm3 which is about right for brass. Is there any reason to suspect they could be .333 or 8 karat gold artworks? I wonder if they are meant to be presented as trophies at a dog show? The red finish on the cups is a water soluble finish that can be rubbed off with a damp paper towel. I have them currently listed on eBay for auction with 6 days remaining.
