Heres a mystery piece...any ideas

[Trez]

Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

I went through some of my items that have been soaking since the hurricanes of 2004.
I forgot about this one, it has yet to be identified.
Found south of Spessard Holland...I Know that a new wreck or some scatter is possible in that area.
Some think it may have Medical signification...
Laurel Wreath upon Pillars with what looks like twin serpeants wrapping the base..........
Can anyone shed anything new on it...4.25"...I believe it to be pewter, no touch marks...as I have mild acid treated the back in a small area to expose......it did have 2 small bronze pin heads.
Thanks...

 

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[Trez]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

wow,
some really great info...thank you all. It is a strange piece indeed.
what appears to be a bloom, is just some encrustation attached to it.
I may try to clean the back this weekend to see if there are indeed some markings......
but, again...thanks.
all of you....

Trez

 

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[Trez]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

someone sent me this picture......thank you.
again, has some similarities............maybe there was something more on the top of this thing, the crown?
British medical corps badge...............
I think this will be a hard one to solve.........

 

[Boobydoo]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Here's some more pics from eBay.
The first being an item similar to Smithbrown's reference.

http://cgi.ebay.com/A-SUPERB-PAIR-O...3QQihZ020QQcategoryZ66637QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/33...cmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28221QQitemZ6637903178

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-PALISAN...ryZ63587QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and some general info about Ormolu Mounts

http://freenet.buffalo.edu/bah/f/glos/o/ormolu.html

best of luck!
BDoo

 

[Trez]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Here's some more pics from eBay.
The first being an item similar to Smithbrown's reference.

http://cgi.ebay.com/A-SUPERB-PAIR-O...3QQihZ020QQcategoryZ66637QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/33...cmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28221QQitemZ6637903178

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-PALISAN...ryZ63587QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and some general info about Ormolu Mounts

http://freenet.buffalo.edu/bah/f/glos/o/ormolu.html

best of luck!
BDoo

Bdoo,
The ebay item....very close indeed. Thx.
Again to all that helped, thanks.
Trez

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

someone sent me this picture......thank you.
again, has some similarities............maybe there was something more on the top of this thing, the crown?
British medical corps badge...............
I think this will be a hard one to solve.........

You are kidding ....right?

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

19th century ormolu Mounts.......Doc......where are you Doc? These are so close Im shaken in my shoes....

 

[Trez]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

someone sent me this picture......thank you.
again, has some similarities............maybe there was something more on the top of this thing, the crown?
British medical corps badge...............
I think this will be a hard one to solve.........

You are kidding ....right?

Michelle...Me kid? I was refering to the wreath similarity and ...and as to possibly British...I am not kidding.
I will agree the ormula mounts...are indeed very very close.
That was good work...

 

[dg39]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Another form of sculptural metal art to use bronze is ormolou. Ormolou is a finely cast soft bronze that is then gilded (coated with gold) which results in a matt gold finish. Ormolou was popularised in the 18th century in France and is typically found in such forms as wall sconces (wall mounted candle holders), inkstands, clocks and garnitures. Ormolou wares can be identified by their matt gold finish and clear ring when tapped, this indicating the underlying bronze as opposed to a cheaper metal alloy such as spelter or pewter.

Design close to what i would call a wall sconce..

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

19th century ormolu Mounts.......Doc......where are you Doc? These are so close Im shaken in my shoes....

They sure are close, shrink the torch and it is almost dead on. Where did these pictures come from? What do they represent?
Regards,
Doc

I believe Bdoo posted the site....

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Another form of sculptural metal art to use bronze is ormolou. Ormolou is a finely cast soft bronze that is then gilded (coated with gold) which results in a matt gold finish. Ormolou was popularised in the 18th century in France and is typically found in such forms as wall sconces (wall mounted candle holders), inkstands, clocks and garnitures. Ormolou wares can be identified by their matt gold finish and clear ring when tapped, this indicating the underlying bronze as opposed to a cheaper metal alloy such as spelter or pewter.

Design close to what i would call a wall sconce..

Doc, Dg39 posted a bit about it...read back...Very close and congrats to you for your input as well...darn we are all good...

 

[dg39]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Wall sconces come in all shapes and forms..candle holders to electrical light holders.. What we see would be in my opinion an early ornate victorian wall sconce, not complete..The two holes below the wreath hold the missing part.......

 

[dg39]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

O.K., where does the candle go?? How do you put a candle in it and hang it on a wall? How big is this thing?

Doc

I think he said a little over four inches.. Would be borderline small , but still logical..I have had them and seen them that size...

 

[dg39]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Two mounting pins broken off in back. The two holes below the wreath probably had the candle mounting piece..ornate band that held candle..Wish I could draw but I stepped out of the line when they were giving out artistic drawing talent..Sorry
DG

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Two mounting pins broken off in back. The two holes below the wreath probably had the candle mounting piece..ornate band that held candle..Wish I could draw but I stepped out of the line when they were giving out artistic drawing talent..Sorry
DG

let's see what u r a thunken..aw yeah...I stept owt whilst it were spellun

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

seems to be a little dangerous for that Dg.... ORMOLU - cast, chiseled and gold-gilded decorative mountings for furniture

 

[dg39]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Sometimes it was more ornamental than functional. And they were a lot more safety conscience back then than now.
Every thing falls together, but I've been wrong many a time. Could be a fancy pull for a high boy or dresser drawer or even just a decoration.....dg jr likes your avatar, but I had to explan to him it is only a drawing...

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

http://freenet.buffalo.edu/bah/f/glos/o/ormolu.html

 

[dg39]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Close enough for me...ormolu is used in a multitude of items....Decorative finial.

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Yes, mostly made of wood...we install mantels in some homes and the ones we build we glue wood ornamants on them...Way back when....(you could afford it ) people used molded "cast" ones that were "pretty to the eye"most designs were taken from other things...like....CRESTS.....ETC.ETC.

 

[Michelle]

Re: Here's a mystery piece...any ideas

Trez, what style of furniture is abundant where you found this piece?