The object photographed above and below is this week's MYSTERY OBJECT. It measures just shy of four and a half inches long, is four inches high, and three and a half inches deep. What was it made for; what is it made of; where and when was it made ? The maker's name is on the base, the owner's monogram and date is engraved of the side (not the side shown), so you can be quite specific about the date - guess the year when you think it was made.
In this picture the lid has been removed and the object to the left is usually kept inside (again it's there for a purpose).
Good guessing, although I think some of you may know what it's for.
11 comments:
Hi Mike, the dished oval shape of the rim suggests the Regency period to me so I'm going to wildly guess at 1815, I believe the material is an alloy whose Marks were listed by H.H. Cotterell and the 'Counterblaste' to its contents was a treatise written by King James VI of Scotland. The function of the inner lid is gentle compression of the contents.
Hi, Mike and Ann, Jude sends her love to you both. She guessed 1739 and named the object and its material to match my answer, I must admit the general condition made me think it might be earlier than my guess based on style. so we're not fighting about it, just containing our souls in patience until one of your admirers gets the right answer.
The end is easily foretold,
When every blessed thing you hold
Is made of silver, or of gold,
You long for simple ...........
___________
The Gondoliers.
The almost complete version for your followers:-
THERE LIVED A KING
From "The Gondoliers"
(Libretto by William S. Gilbert / Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan)
Don Alhambra, Marco, & Giuseppe
DON ALHAMBRA.
There lived a King, as I've been told,
In the wonder-working days of old,
When hearts were twice as good as gold,
And twenty times as mellow.
Good-temper triumphed in his face,
And in his heart he found a place
For all the erring human race
And every wretched fellow.
When he had Rhenish wine to drink
It made him very sad to think
That some, at junket or at jink,
Must be content with toddy.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
With toddy, must be content with toddy.
DON ALHAMBRA.
He wished all men as rich as he
(And he was rich as rich could be),
So to the top of every tree
Promoted everybody.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
Now, that's the kind of King for me.
He wished all men as rich as he,
So to the top of every tree
Promoted everybody!
DON ALHAMBRA.
Lord Chancellors were cheap as sprats,
And Bishops in their shovel hats
Were plentiful as tabby cats--
In point of fact, too many.
Ambassadors cropped up like hay,
Prime Ministers and such as they
Grew like asparagus in May,
And Dukes were three a penny.
On every side Field-Marshals gleamed,
Small beer were Lords-Lieutenant deemed,
With Admirals the ocean teemed
All round his wide dominions.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
All round his wide dominions.
DON ALHAMBRA.
And Party Leaders you might meet
In twos and threes in every street
Maintaining, with no little heat,
Their various opinions.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
Now that's a sight you couldn't beat--
Two Party Leaders in each street
Maintaining, with no little heat,
Their various opinions.
DON ALHAMBRA.
That King, although no one denies
His heart was of abnormal size,
Yet he'd have acted otherwise
If he had been acuter.
The end is easily foretold,
When every blessed thing you hold
Is made of silver, or of gold,
You long for simple ******.
When you have nothing else to wear
But cloth of gold and satins rare,
For cloth of gold you cease to care--
Up goes the price of shoddy.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
Up goes the price of shoddy.
DON ALHAMBRA.
In short, whoever you may be,
To this conclusion you'll agree,
When every one is somebodee,
Then no one's anybody!
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
Now that's as plain as plain can be,
To this conclusion we agree--
ALL.
When every one is somebodee,
Then no one's anybody!
The almost complete version for your followers:-
THERE LIVED A KING
From "The Gondoliers"
(Libretto by William S. Gilbert / Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan)
Don Alhambra, Marco, & Giuseppe
DON ALHAMBRA.
There lived a King, as I've been told,
In the wonder-working days of old,
When hearts were twice as good as gold,
And twenty times as mellow.
Good-temper triumphed in his face,
And in his heart he found a place
For all the erring human race
And every wretched fellow.
When he had Rhenish wine to drink
It made him very sad to think
That some, at junket or at jink,
Must be content with toddy.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
With toddy, must be content with toddy.
DON ALHAMBRA.
He wished all men as rich as he
(And he was rich as rich could be),
So to the top of every tree
Promoted everybody.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
Now, that's the kind of King for me.
He wished all men as rich as he,
So to the top of every tree
Promoted everybody!
DON ALHAMBRA.
Lord Chancellors were cheap as sprats,
And Bishops in their shovel hats
Were plentiful as tabby cats--
In point of fact, too many.
Ambassadors cropped up like hay,
Prime Ministers and such as they
Grew like asparagus in May,
And Dukes were three a penny.
On every side Field-Marshals gleamed,
Small beer were Lords-Lieutenant deemed,
With Admirals the ocean teemed
All round his wide dominions.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
All round his wide dominions.
DON ALHAMBRA.
And Party Leaders you might meet
In twos and threes in every street
Maintaining, with no little heat,
Their various opinions.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
Now that's a sight you couldn't beat--
Two Party Leaders in each street
Maintaining, with no little heat,
Their various opinions.
DON ALHAMBRA.
That King, although no one denies
His heart was of abnormal size,
Yet he'd have acted otherwise
If he had been acuter.
The end is easily foretold,
When every blessed thing you hold
Is made of silver, or of gold,
You long for simple ******.
When you have nothing else to wear
But cloth of gold and satins rare,
For cloth of gold you cease to care--
Up goes the price of shoddy.
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
Up goes the price of shoddy.
DON ALHAMBRA.
In short, whoever you may be,
To this conclusion you'll agree,
When every one is somebodee,
Then no one's anybody!
MARCOS. and GIUSEPPE.
Now that's as plain as plain can be,
To this conclusion we agree--
ALL.
When every one is somebodee,
Then no one's anybody!
Perhaps it is for tobacco humidor or for tea circa 1792? Pewter?
It's for storing the evil weed -
A tobacco jar I think indeed
And material must well be pewter
I looked up your clue on my computer
What was it made for; tobacco
what is it made of; pewter
where and when was it made ? Sheffield 1827
The maker's name is on the base, J. Dixon
the owner's monogram and date is engraved on the side
J.S. 6th June 1828
(not the side shown), so you can be quite specific about the date )
;)
Was I specific enough in my wild guesses?
xxxx
Normally I answer comments in the order in which they come in-chronologically in other words; but this time, I'm afraid I must skip order and ask straightaway - Nea, how the Hanover did you do that? You are not totally correct (I'm about to put up another blog entry to demonstrate that), but you are so near as to make me suspect w.....craft (given your history - Great Great Great Grandmother Trower, and your birthday). Come on Daughter - how was it done?
I can't recall you ever being so confounded Mike! Brilliant work Nea. Excellent poesy Rog, good answer too, I suspect Nea has a sharp eye and a keen memory.... or maybe a top quality crystal ball ~?
I wonder if Nea has the other one of a pair of Baccy cans, only the monogram on hers is dated ? Did you find yours on your recent Swedish expedition Mike?
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