Weird heavy old swivel container.

[Sawgia]

Had this for 7 years, no one I've asked knows what it is. Notice the hooks and pins on each side. It looks very old, hundreds of years. Been repaired over the years. Weighs about 25 lbs. The wire on the hooks was added by someone who wanted to hang it as a planter or umbrella holder or something, of which it is neither of those. The hook and pivot pins I just can't figure out of it hooks to another like it or on to a horse drawn wagon or a conveyer scoop thing. I just don't know.
Thanks for looking. I have more pics if needed.

 

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[BennyV]

It looks old. Hardware looks hand forged. So do the bolts that hold it on. No two are the same.

 

[Digger RJ]

Had this for 7 years, no one I've asked knows what it is. Notice the hooks and pins on each side. It looks very old, hundreds of years. Been repaired over the years. Weighs about 25 lbs. The wire on the hooks was added by someone who wanted to hang it as a planter or umbrella holder or something, of which it is neither of those. The hook and pivot pins I just can't figure out of it hooks to another like it or on to a horse drawn wagon or a conveyer scoop thing. I just don't know.
Thanks for looking. I have more pics if needed.
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Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Robot]

Hi Sawgia
Welcome to the "Show"!
Gorgeous piece of furniture.
So simple but functionable!
I believe it is an Antique Firewood Box...possibly of Shaker design.


Similar design

 

[Whynotnow?]

No idea what it is but its very cool looking. Definitely has a very specific purpose. All I can think its it looks like maybe it was designed to be carried by those hooks and then something would cause it to tip and spill its contents. Almost like the tines on a trencher, but older. Hopefully someone on here knows.

 

[Sawgia]

Hi Sawgia
Welcome to the "Show"!
Gorgeous piece of furniture.
So simple but functionable!
I believe it is an Antique Firewood Box...possibly of Shaker design.


Similar design

View attachment 2141045

Yeah, it's the hooks that throw me off. If you were to hang it by the hooks it would be "upside down" and you couldn't put anything in it that way. ...I once thought it might be a cover for a window or a light in a castle gate or something....?

 

[Robot]

Yeah, it's the hooks that throw me off. If you were to hang it by the hooks it would be "upside down" and you couldn't put anything in it that way. ...I once thought it might be a cover for a window or a light in a castle gate or something....?

I believe the hooks were used to grab a support preventing the box from falling forward.

 

[Bernitup]

Had this for 7 years, no one I've asked knows what it is. Notice the hooks and pins on each side. It looks very old, hundreds of years. Been repaired over the years. Weighs about 25 lbs. The wire on the hooks was added by someone who wanted to hang it as a planter or umbrella holder or something, of which it is neither of those. The hook and pivot pins I just can't figure out of it hooks to another like it or on to a horse drawn wagon or a conveyer scoop thing. I just don't know.
Thanks for looking. I have more pics if needed.
View attachment 2140922View attachment 2140930View attachment 2140929View attachment 2140928View attachment 2140926View attachment 2140924View attachment 2140927

Cool piece! Without doing some digging, this looks very familiar to me and it reminds me of a harvest box, some dumped and some had a drop door on bottom. It also reminds me of a bottom half of a corn shucker/seeder?!? Cob went in and the cob would have kernels remove, cob goes out side shoot and kernels go into basket. Either way, cool vintage wood piece that has an interesting look to it!👍🏼

 

[Sawgia]

I believe the hooks were used to grab a support preventing the box from falling forward.

Ok that sounds reasonable but then what is the box used for? And how do the pins by the hooks come in to play?

 

[Blackfoot58]

Maybe a grain dispenser from a mercantile store. Fill with corn, oats, etc. to a certain line. Hooks would allow it to pivot forward and dump contents into a bag. That would be a sale by volume rather than by weight.