[Doug Sanders]

TCP members-
I purchased this item a few years back at a junk sale and don't have much of an idea of what it is. It's cast, measures almost 8 inches across and looks Japanese-y. The guy I got it from said it was from a cobbler's bench, to hold nails. I don't know of many Japanese cobblers using nails, but could it have been in a little tobacco/pipe kit (the kind with the box cabinet, and a little hibachi on top to hold charcoal)? There is an edge to the cup's rim which suggests maybe a domed lid came with it at some point. Right now, it holds keys.


All thoughts welcomed. Thanks
Doug

[Fred E. Zweig]

Looks like it could be a censer and may be missing the perforated lid. Not sure if it is old.

Fred

[Mike Ruslander]

I have a 30ish year old pewter piece that looks similar, with a cork inlay inside the bottom and felt on the outside bottom, for holding a chilled wine bottle (as a coaster). hmmm maybe??

[Doug Sanders]

Censer. That's the word I was looking for

I like the adaptive-reuse idea as a wine bottle coaster...hmmm...

[Mike Ruslander]