Need a little help on ID

[gunner45]

I went to an auction today and I normally stick with buying gold and silver. Well this item came up and no one knew what it was. There were a lot of antique dealers there and the auctioneer asked if anybody had any idea what it was....nobody! So I decided since it was brass and heavy (49 pounds) I'd take a chance.
I bought it and now I'm stumped.
At first I thought it was some sort of tumbler but I don't think since there are bolts protruding on the inside.
It's 16" long and weighs 49 pounds and the inside lid has a seal around it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

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[SkaBa]

Neat buy. I would have bought it, too.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Odd looking piece... can't wait for an ID

 

[ARC]

My guess... A mold... for something.

 

[bradyboy]

used to heat / roast coffee beans, at least on those lines
Because its copper and with wheels tells me it was used to to turn and roast the contents over a flame
Copper is common for roasting and cooking due to the transfer of heat, they still use copper kettles today for taffy and chocolate and so on
do the wheels turn?
What does the inside smell like?
Just a thought
Brady

 

[scotter1]

looks like an early version of a compost bin

 

[gunner45]

The wheels are fixed and don't move.
No smell on the inside but that does make sense about roasting something. I'm almost positive the majority is brass but some of the inside does have a copper look to it

 

[unclemac]

https://www.google.com/search?q=ant...a=X&ei=vM2xVIi-G8_1oASns4DACA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg

...maybe...

 

[Tony in SC]

I'm with Bradyboy. It's some kinda tumbler. The round ends would sit on rollers so it would roll over and over. Tony

 

[ARC]

P.S. to me it appears to be bronze... and yes tumbler.
My original UNEDITED post said mold for plastics that is rotated.
But roaster would fit the bill better.
I would agree with cooking of some kind.
May not smell because has been pressure cleaned or what have ya.
Sounds plausible anyway.

 

[gunner45]

That leads me in a different direction now.
The more I look at it I can see its prob copper.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Brass chestnut roaster from a street vendor cart?

Antique stone tumbler?

 

[turtlefoot13]

I have absolutely no idea what it is, but the first thing that came to my mind when I saw it was a bank deposit box. The type that you put your bank bag in from the outside and when you close the door, it dumps the bag. It is nothing really like the modern ones today, but I wonder if it might be an "early version".

Doug

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Looks like those things the banks used to send thru the pneumatic tubes, minus the cushy parts.

 

[unclemac]

any markings on it any where?

 

[unclemac]

wouldn't a roaster or a tumbler have a round interior space and not triangular?

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

peanut roaster?

 

[gunner45]

I have absolutely no idea what it is, but the first thing that came to my mind when I saw it was a bank deposit box. The type that you put your bank bag in from the outside and when you close the door, it dumps the bag. It is nothing really like the modern ones today, but I wonder if it might be an "early version".

Doug

Someone local mentioned that, it has my mind boggled for sure. I know when it closes it's tightly sealed.
I cant find any markings on it to indicate a maker

 

[kenstein]

wouldn't a roaster or a tumbler have a round interior space and not triangular?

The triangular shape would cause the contents to tumble, rather than just slide, resulting in the contents being more evenly roasted/tumbled. I don't have an ID for you, but this is a possible explanation. I probably would have bid on it.

 

[wainzoid]

I would plant 'Violets' in it