Can anyone identify this copper (or brass?) antique?

[mn9000]

Handed down from grandmother, have no idea what this might be....

 

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[Joe-Dirt]

I am going to guess it’s for drying something like a hat or shoes, but I’m usually wrong. Very cool though

 

[ARC]

Wash cloth / hand towel stand ?

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

This piece is interesting for a number of reasons...

Firstly, I think it's a 'home-made' piece, made for a specific purpose.
I looks to have been made combining a number of parts from other objects of the period
.
The top portion looks like it came from bathroom towel rack, curtain rod or possibly a brass bed rail, incorporating an oil lamp or candle stand for the base.
The wooden base support definitely looks to have been made in craftsman workshop specifically to go with this piece.

The Victorians & Edwardians were very ingenious folks who invented pieces to fit a specific need at the time.
I know this doesn't answer your question as to 'what it's original function was', only your grandmother might know the answer.

Dave

 

[namxat]

What comes into my mind is a decoration piece for a club or regular table.

So they would meet once or twice a month in a pub and from the thing penchants of smalll flags were hanging. "South west Ohio cyclist enthusiasts" or "Old boys of XYZ college".


Of course, just a speculation


Namxat

 

[RustyGold]

A yarn rack after spinning wool. Or the helm of an ancient starship.

 

[Reanm8er]

Greetings MN!

I'm going first with Dave re the construction and then ARC on the usage! This was masterful repurposing at it's best. Must have been one nice
brass bed. This could be "Tramp Art". Things made by itinerants during the depression in the 1930s. They often used trash or salvaged
items to create their works of art.

Best wishes!

Cool piece!

 

[ARC]

Does the horizontal rod "slide" over one way or the other ?

 

[ARC]

If so... Toilet paper roll holder.

 

[Dirt Eater]

My first thought was a bracelet / jewelry holder / stand used in store display....looks like one that you would display bangles on.

 

[ARC]

My first thought was a bracelet / jewelry holder / stand used in store display....looks like one that you would display bangles on.

This is a good guess and also crossed my mind as a display piece.

 

[WawaDuane]

Bow tie hanger upper thing.

 

[jambone]

Perch?

 

[devldog]

This is a cool looking piece. Does the bar screw up or down? It almost looks as if the horizontal bar is a handle for whatever reason. Again, just speculation on my part.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I was thinking something for knitting to hold the yarn.as Rustygold also mentioned.

 

[namxat]

If so... Toilet paper roll holder.

I like that very much! At least this is a use you could put it today. If it is really so ist younger the 1890 since:

"In 1890 the Scott Paper Company made its Waldorf brand toilet paper in rolls."

Before.... corn cobs, sears catalogue, the newspaper ..... wouldnt that be a great of topic for the privy diggers? ;_)

Greets Namxat

 

[Plug N Play]

A clue ? Lots of good guesses.
Couldn't find another one of these to verify it.
Don't know if this is related or not. (they call it a yarn winder)

 

[Bruce R]

I get the impression that those pieces are something from a lodge, I once helped clean out an old OddFellows lodge and we found some strange and unidentifiable stuff in there.

 

[ARC]

Ok... after revisting this ... I got the same impression I originally got... the first impression was something "tobacco" related... I thought it may be a hookah mouthpiece rest and did a couple of searches and came up empty...

So I tried the same sorta searches along those lines and still nothing... BUT... for some weird reason I have a strong suspicion this MAY be tobacco related..,

It may have sat in large astray and cigar smokers would use that point to "open" / "widen" hole in mouth end... and bars were used to knock off ash.

Just a wild hip shot.