Pottery Cat Flask?!?

[swizzle]

Anyone know anything about this one? The hole you drink or add liquid to is its ear. I think its an ugly critter but couldn't resist bidding on it. Swiz

 

[Lucas]

I think it is a footwarmer.

 

[swizzle]

That was one of my thoughts as well. The measurements are 10" at the longest point, from ear to tail and almost about 3 & 1/2" wide. It would be a kinda cute idea. A kitty sleeping at the foot of your bed. What about the hole size? I can just stick my finger in it. Wouldn't that make it a bit tough to fill with hot water? I still think its a footwarmer like you are suggesting. It just seems awkward to drink out of its ear. Swiz

 

[romeo-1]

I think it is a footwarmer.

Bingo!

 

[swizzle]

Ok so we have agreed that its a bedwarmer. Any idea of the age and maker? Swiz

 

[swizzle]

Just thought I'd give this one more bump to see if anyone could help me find the maker and possibly the age as well. Thanx, Swiz

 

[Breezie]

Swiz, I think you have a most unique bed/foot warmer because most of them were NOT figural, but more or less jug shaped. You called it an 'ugly critter,' but I guess 'beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.' Is it marked under the bottom? It the water filling hole threaded on the inside? To me, it looks Asian made, and at first I thought it to be made around the turn of the century, but because it is an Asian looking cat, the date maybe around WWII to 1950s era. Nice find, Breezie

 

[swizzle]

There's no threads in his ear. Its a corker. I thought it looked more like the redware lions. They have that same grotesque look to their face. I'm hoping its early to mid 1800's. There doesn't appear to be any markings on the base. To me the spots I see on the base look like scrap bits of clay that the cat sat on before it was cooked. I know its very unusual for a foot or bed warmer but what else could it possibly be? Swiz

 

[Bramblefind]

Here's another cat foot warmer-

105. CAT FOOTWARMER.
4.25 ins tall, 11.25 ins long,
footwarmer formed as a sleeping
cat in shiny brown glaze. A most
unusual, previously unseen,
warmer. Good. NR £60-80+.

http://www.onlinebbr.com/auctions/results/pdf_results/2005-06-12/innards.pdf

 

[swizzle]

That's cool. I'd like to see more examples. I bet there's different types of animals as well. Thanx for the info and the link. Swiz