What the heck is this thing? I dont think we will ever know....

[diggummup]

What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

This was something that I threw into a box of stuff that I purchased at an estate sale. I have no idea what it is, could be, or ever could have been. It's 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 inches tall depending on which side you measure it from. Diameter of the base is approx. 2 3/4 inches wide. It weighs around 5.2 ounces. It seems to be made of some type of light colored clay? maybe? with a brown stain applied to it. It is definitely handmade. Could it just be a craft project gone wrong? I threw it in the box of stuff I was purchasing because it had all these markings on it that looked like it could have possibly been Native American made but i've never saw anything like it before. Any ideas??

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

My guess is Native American game piece? I really have no idea.

 

[Got_4by4]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

Hi,

This is just a personal observation, in no way meant to solve or prevent other research into this item.

Having said that, I noticed on the flat, unmarked bottom, a line or a shift of flatness which make me
believe that at one time this item may have been soft clay. If someone were done shaping the overall
shape and had finished incising the marks, they might have set it on a flat surface to dry. If in handling
the tray or flat plate it was set on it may have ended siting on the edge of the tray. T the roundness
of the step being where the clay(by gravity)fell to the lower surface leaving the sharper groove (the
upper edge of the plate)and the round edge. You can try it yourself. Make a ball of clay and gently
press it down over the square edge. It takes much heavier pressure to create two square edges.
Therefore I think that it might be the "Lost Treasure" of someones mother. A small sculpture brought
home by daughter or son.

But please keep searching.

 

[diggummup]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

OK so I got to looking at this thing under a loupe and noticed a small piece of what appeared to be metal sticking out of a small hole on the bottom of it.




So I took an exacto knife and dug a little bit out and I found this-



Then I put a magnet to it and lo and behold-



I guess this scratches out Native American related. Whatever it's made out of breaks up really fine into dust almost or small like grains of salt only smaller.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

I wonder if the metal is an internal frame for strength..

 

[Breezie]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

author=diggummup

Whatever it's made out of breaks up really fine into dust almost or small like grains of salt only smaller.

Is it Plaster of Paris? It would make sense to put a metal rod in P of P for stability. Since the base is 2 3/4 inches that would come close to the bottom diameter of a wax soda/milk shake cup. Maybe it is a camp, Boy/Girl Scout, Bible School etc. art project. I'm hoping not, but thought I'd throw out the idea. Interesting, Breezie

 

[terryo]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

it reminds me of a textile stamp...we made something similiar to it back in high school...way back...The designs remind me of India(n) patterns...just a guess, though..Any traces of ink or paint on it??

 

[kc7rad]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

Is it Plaster of Paris? It would make sense to put a metal rod in P of P for stability. Since the base is 2 3/4 inches that would come close to the bottom diameter of a wax soda/milk shake cup. Maybe it is a camp, Boy/Girl Scout, Bible School etc. art project.

Exactly what I was thinking. IMHO Only, looks like someone used an ice cream cone as an initial mold. After the P of P cures, it is easy to take off the ice cream cone. "Artify" it with some small files, dye the outside with a nifty looking brown and there ya go.

I definitely could be wrong & YMMV. I remember making similar projects many years ago in grade school.

-Ken

 

[Goodyguy]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

Stopper to an urn.

 

[DirtyMike]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

My guess is a wax stamp/seal.

 

[Dano Sverige]

Re: What the heck is this thing? I don't think we will ever know....

My first thought was the same...stamp/seal.