✅ SOLVED What is this brass whale looking thing?

[diggummup]

Measures just over 6 inches long and weighs 4 pounds. Solid cast brass. Looks like a whale to me. Any ideas?

 

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[tamrock]

door stop ??

 

[ARC]

Dig... Tis Bronze imo...

Looks like a shoe "mold" or form ?

Cleat ? hmmm weird.

 

[d2]

I'm going with door stop also. Is something stamped on the bottom?d2

 

[diggummup]

I agree it would make a great doorstop. That was my first thought actually. I haven't discounted it, just not fully convinced of it yet. Maybe the right answer is sometimes the most obvious. Nothing stamped on the bottom.

 

[mcl]

I know this may sound weird but in an effort to sort of rule out some other functional purposes for this piece, I was wondering if you'd be willing to try a few things. The basis of my reasoning is twofold. First, the flat edge looks to me as if it were attached to something else at some point. It could have been something as simple as a piece of felt, or more complex such as a wooden surface. Second, I wonder whether the shape of the piece is functional/intended rather than decorative/incidental. If you can do this list of things it might rule out at least the second part.

1. Sit in a chair and place the flat face of the item directly on the floor below one of your feet without shoes on. Match the domed/rounded portion to roughly the heel/arch of your foot, with your toes being angled upward by the narrower end of the piece. Is it comfortable? Does the shape and size of the piece seem to match this orientation of the foot?

2. While still sitting, rotate the piece 180 degrees and place your foot back on it. Rest the back of your heel in the lowest point of the "valley" on the piece. Is it comfortable? Does the shape and size of the piece seem to match this orientation of the foot?

3. Find a way to prop the piece upward at an approximately 30-45 degree angle on one end. Repeat tests 1 and 2 with the piece supported in this position remembering to rotate it 180 degrees for each test. (Example: shoe shine/nail painting footrest)

4. Place the item flat on a smooth floor with a rag or towel underneath it. Get on your hands and knees, then push the item back and forth as though you were scrubbing a floor. Is there any orientation in which the item seems to be comfortably held while "scrubbing"? Try gripping it similarly to how you might grip a computer mouse. (Explanation: weighted scrubbing tools were popular at one time, both broom handled and handheld, because you don't have to put as much downward weight/force on the tool in order to generate friction with the floor when scrubbing)

5. Place the item flat on a sturdy table or counter-top, placing a towel underneath to protect the surface if necessary. Now, place the palm of your hand in the lowest valley of the piece and attempt to push upwards off it, as though you were using it to stand up. Do this in each 90 degree rotation of the piece. Does this seem like a feasible use, or is it very uncomfortable/impractical? If you are brave, find a place at the height of about 6-10 inches, set the piece flat, and attempt to use it as a stepping/climbing aid for your foot (e.g., into bath tub/bed/etc). Is it comfortable? Slippery when wearing socks or possibly when the piece is wet?

6. Rest your forearm in the crook of the piece. Lean on it on a counter-top. Set it on the armrest of a chair. Does it seem to offer comfortable support?

Now if you go through each of these and find that none of them make sense at all, I would feel much more confident about the doorstop/paperweight ideas. The piece is definitely "functional", but the question is whether the shape of the item contributes to that function. If nothing from the list feels right at all from an ergonomic standpoint, then the form is probably irrelevant to the function. One caveat: if it is a doorstop, the form could also function so as to make the object easier to push with ones foot (to and away from a door). Try this, and if the form seems to make it more difficult to move (i.e., the balance is off and the piece wants to rotate rather than move) then it might suggest it is not a doorstop, or perhaps a crappy doorstop.

Just some thoughts.

-mcl

 

[diggummup]

I know this may sound weird but in an effort to sort of rule out some other functional purposes for this piece, I was wondering if you'd be willing to try a few things. The basis of my reasoning is twofold. First, the flat edge looks to me as if it were attached to something else at some point. It could have been something as simple as a piece of felt, or more complex such as a wooden surface. Second, I wonder whether the shape of the piece is functional/intended rather than decorative/incidental. If you can do this list of things it might rule out at least the second part.

1. Sit in a chair and place the flat face of the item directly on the floor below one of your feet without shoes on. Match the domed/rounded portion to roughly the heel/arch of your foot, with your toes being angled upward by the narrower end of the piece. Is it comfortable? Does the shape and size of the piece seem to match this orientation of the foot?

2. While still sitting, rotate the piece 180 degrees and place your foot back on it. Rest the back of your heel in the lowest point of the "valley" on the piece. Is it comfortable? Does the shape and size of the piece seem to match this orientation of the foot?

3. Find a way to prop the piece upward at an approximately 30-45 degree angle on one end. Repeat tests 1 and 2 with the piece supported in this position remembering to rotate it 180 degrees for each test. (Example: shoe shine/nail painting footrest)

4. Place the item flat on a smooth floor with a rag or towel underneath it. Get on your hands and knees, then push the item back and forth as though you were scrubbing a floor. Is there any orientation in which the item seems to be comfortably held while "scrubbing"? Try gripping it similarly to how you might grip a computer mouse. (Explanation: weighted scrubbing tools were popular at one time, both broom handled and handheld, because you don't have to put as much downward weight/force on the tool in order to generate friction with the floor when scrubbing)

5. Place the item flat on a sturdy table or counter-top, placing a towel underneath to protect the surface if necessary. Now, place the palm of your hand in the lowest valley of the piece and attempt to push upwards off it, as though you were using it to stand up. Do this in each 90 degree rotation of the piece. Does this seem like a feasible use, or is it very uncomfortable/impractical? If you are brave, find a place at the height of about 6-10 inches, set the piece flat, and attempt to use it as a stepping/climbing aid for your foot (e.g., into bath tub/bed/etc). Is it comfortable? Slippery when wearing socks or possibly when the piece is wet?

6. Rest your forearm in the crook of the piece. Lean on it on a counter-top. Set it on the armrest of a chair. Does it seem to offer comfortable support?

Now if you go through each of these and find that none of them make sense at all, I would feel much more confident about the doorstop/paperweight ideas. The piece is definitely "functional", but the question is whether the shape of the item contributes to that function. If nothing from the list feels right at all from an ergonomic standpoint, then the form is probably irrelevant to the function. One caveat: if it is a doorstop, the form could also function so as to make the object easier to push with ones foot (to and away from a door). Try this, and if the form seems to make it more difficult to move (i.e., the balance is off and the piece wants to rotate rather than move) then it might suggest it is not a doorstop, or perhaps a crappy doorstop.

Just some thoughts.

-mcl

Ok, I'll go with a doorstop.

 

[Breezie]

I think it's a very safe bet to ID your find as a brass Whale Doorstop made with a 'streamline moderne' flare. The round circle on the bottom tells me it probably had a paper manufacturers/company tag at one time. I'd date it around the 1930's, which was the 'Streamline Moderne' time of Art Deco. Streamline was influenced by aerodynamics, and just about everything during that period was smooth, round, and bulbous including cars, trains, trucks, radios, refrigerators, buildings, gas pumps, etc.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Str...bih=478#tbm=isch&q=Streamline+Moderne+objects

Neat find
Breezie

 

[bonepicker]

WW1-2 Naval Trench Art made from large brass spent shell casings.
My grandfather was a machinist and made a set of brass anvils that were supposed to be used as bookends.
Perhaps this was made by a machinist on a ship as a souvenir, and meant to be bookends or a doorstop, or just some random decorative object commemorating their own personal experiences aboard a ship during a tour.

 

[tamrock]

Do all of what mcl has suggested and please get back to us with the results of all this. I'm dyeing to know what you find out. Lets see what else it could be?? If you wanted to? It could be a bronze whale shape fishing down rigger weight or a cool automobile mascot for a rat rod.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

My thought is that it is a Spline Weight. These were (and are) used to hold rolled charts or plans flat for easier reading, measurements and navigation. Also used by sailmakers to hold the material stretched out flat when marking lines for cuts. Some had a little "finger" on the nose to mark a specific point.

Just a very nice paperweight. If you've ever tried to use a chart that has been stored rolled up they are handy as all get out.

I worked at a foundry and the draftsmen (back when ink and pens were used) held down the pattern plans with these.



Here's the pattern used to make molds for them - 6" long.