unknown silver object

[jhamner]

I am probably in the wrong forum, but I am so confused at this point I decided to post anyway.  Maybe someone can redirect me if needed!

I am trying to determine the age, origin, and use of this little handled dish.  If you can help, I would really appreciate it!

[JimmyStack]

those are the best pictures of a USO i've ever seen... <puts on tinfoil hat>

[sixgun]

Well this is probably not the best forum. This is a precious metal forum - coins and bars.

916 seems likely to be the purity. i have seen mention of this with Finish silver - but we get 916H. Russian silver can be 91.66% so we could be looking at Russian silver. i am not sure what the item is. My first thought was perhaps it was a wine warmer - not sure why that came to mind. The wooden handle could suggest the contents and bowl would get hot so a silver handle could burn the user (silver is the best conductor of heat and electricity there is). A wooden handle suggests a more practical item rather than decorative. A parlour item rather than something purely functional for the kitchen where silver would be an expensive metal to use. 

[jhamner]

1 hour ago, sixgun said:

Well this is probably not the best forum. This is a precious metal forum - coins and bars.

916 seems likely to be the purity. i have seen mention of this with Finish silver - but we get 916H. Russian silver can be 91.66% so we could be looking at Russian silver. i am not sure what the item is. My first thought was perhaps it was a wine warmer - not sure why that came to mind. The wooden handle could suggest the contents and bowl would get hot so a silver handle could burn the user (silver is the best conductor of heat and electricity there is). A wooden handle suggests a more practical item rather than decorative. A parlour item rather than something purely functional for the kitchen where silver would be an expensive metal to use. 

 

Thank you so much for this very useful information!

[caloundracats]

I agree with @sixgun it could be from the former Eastern bloc with the purity stated as 916. However, the Lion passant with crown is stumping me so it would appear to come from a sovereign country. The lion is a symbol used by England, The Netherlands, Armenia and Bulgaria. My feeling is that it may be Dutch.

The handle implies it is to hold something hot as Sixgun says. Maybe for wine, maybe to hold hot water as a finger bowl to clean the hands after dining. 

The mystery continues. Let us know if you find out what and where it comes from, I'd be interested to know.

[sixgun]

@caloundracats the bowl does not have a pouring spout and neither is it very deep - say deep like a punch bowl. A deeper bowl allows for a cup to be dipped in to get the wine from. The dimensions show it is a small object. The bowl proper is maybe 3 inches. i did not take that part in on first looking so i don't think it is suitable for a wine warming. i think this is a serving dish for something hot. Serving at table.  i suspect it would have had a spoon so there would be a hot sauce in the bowl, the bowl can be rest on the table with it having legs and it is practical to hold with the wooden handle. i have seen 'chafing' dishes for sauce that look a bit like this. Often there is a pouring spout so perhaps the contents in this case were thicker and more suitable for spooning than pouring.

[caloundracats]

Yes, I think you could be right on the money there @sixgun It will be interesting to see what comes of @jhamner research. Hoping they let us know the outcome.

[EnglishWillie]

Hi

It looks like a Spanish silver ember bowl, used by smokers to light pipes or cigars from hot embers placed on a table without burning it

[sixgun]

1 hour ago, EnglishWillie said:

Hi

It looks like a Spanish silver ember bowl, used by smokers to light pipes or cigars from hot embers placed on a table without burning it

Yes the style looks right but these all seem to have 2 handles. A uni-handled version maybe.

Spain used 916 silver before 1934 so the purity is correct - [Russia and Finland, as i mentioned also did, Portugal after 1886, Romania, Latvia and Poland after 1963]

i took a look for the standing lion - the design is seen but they face to the left not the right. Hmmmm - getting closer though.

[blackadder]

Kinda looks like a brandy warmer to me,or more then likely 90% sure one part of a tea infuser.

[Xander]

It could be a Quaich, we used them for drinking whiskey from when we won a golf tournament.

[blackadder]

1 minute ago, Xander said:

It could be a Quaich, we used them for drinking whiskey from when we won a tournament.

Could be but looks alittle small for that,or maybe just a sugar bowl etc.The handle looks like a replacement too.

[Xander]

3 minutes ago, blackadder said:

Could be but looks alittle small for that,or maybe just a sugar bowl etc.The handle looks like a replacement too.

Yes, the handle does look a bit at odds with the rest of it, I'm sure someone will come up with the answer.

[caloundracats]

@Xander I thought Quaich's were two handled, mine is.

[Xander]

5 hours ago, caloundracats said:

@Xander I thought Quaich's were two handled, mine is.

Yes, all the ones I have seen are two handled, I was wondering if this could have been a one-off. 

[ilovesilverireallydo]

Looks like silent butler with the cover missing to me.