What is this thing?

gordo

gordo

Well-known member
Any idea what this is? It's cast iron, 5" tall and is made of two pieces - the large piece and what seems to be a base that fits inside it. It looks old but may not be. Any ideas?

Thing%201%20SM_zps4pf14t4r.jpg

Thing%202%20SM_zps2qckc6cy.jpg
 
I'm sure you have looked for casting information . . frequently they cast the mfg's name and stuff into it . . . might help
 
The way the bottom base fits in to the dome in the first picture (inverted from the second picture) indicates that whatever fits on top of that base may have some substantial heat to it (candle, kerosene or oil lamp, etc.) It looks like it designed that way to protect the surface of whatever this thing sits on. I doubt if it's just a free-standing candle, as, the wax would melt and fall through the slots in the base.
 
gordo said:
Now that's an idea I haven't heard.
Click to expand...

My grandmother had something similar to hold balls of string. It wasn't as ornate as yours Gordo.

I don't have a photo of it but I found something similar... see the link below.
 
Last edited:
PricelineNegotiator said:
He might be right, seeing the hole on the top.
Click to expand...

Tsk. I am right. Often used in bakeries or butcher shops, or anywhere packages were wrapped up and tied with string/twine. Cast iron was used so the ball of string didn't go flying across the room when one pulled on the end.
 
Slammer said:
Yup, string holder.
https://www.decorsteals.com/utilita...e-countertop-iron-string-holder-set-of-3.html

Strange how a everyday object from a generation or so ago like that is a source of question today, not going to be long and I expect my granddaughter will ask questions like: "Granddad what is this thing?" Pointing to a LP record. "What, long play was 25 minutes in your day?"
Click to expand...

Unlike tape, LP's appear to be making a comeback of sorts. I still have a couple hundred or so. Had about double that but my house was robbed years ago. I play them on occasion and they do sound damn good (on decent equipment). Biggest negative, as you point out, is playing time. Gotta get up and turn the record over every 20 - 25 minutes. We have machines for turning lifts of paper. You wouldn't think a machine to flip a record would be such a stretch. Course it would need to be operated by remote control . . .
 
gordo said:
Don't dismiss tape so quickly, a new cassette shop has just opened its doors in Toronto the Good: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/10/08/inside-torontos-new-cassette-store.html
Click to expand...

Very interesting. I don't see it becoming anything more than a niche/fad market though. I can't see it attracting serious audiophiles. Quite a few years ago I was in a shop in Vancouver. The guys there were on this 8 track kick. Was pretty much all they played. 8 tracks had been dead for years by then. I had almost forgotten how annoying it could be when songs stopped mid way through to change tracks. These guys were scouring yard sales. High on their play list were 8 tracks by Kiss. I guess that says it all.
 
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