Does Anyone Know its intended Purpose?

[dartsil]

Interesting Victorian silver shallow dish with pouring spout, Does anyone know what it's intended use was for?

[JLDoggett]

Honestly that does not look like a spout, at least one I would want to try to pour from. The lip is far too wide to issue a liquid. Most likely it is part of the shape (it appears to be a peach) with the fruit forming the dish and the stem as the handle. Note the indent at the handle. As for its use, it would be good for candles, or calling cards, o just about anything.

[dartsil]

Welcome your comments, Look forward to other replies and suggestions.

[Granmaa]

Whatever it's for, it's very nice and good makers as well. I'm envious.

Miles

[2209patrick]

Hello.

My first thought was a tastevin, but I have not seen one with feet before.
How big is it?

Pat.

[dartsil]

Hi Pat,

It measures 142mm across , 152mm front to back excluding the handle.

[JLDoggett]

At that size it may well have been a nut dish, used in formal dining and shared between two dinner partners. The "spout" can not pour a liquid and is poorly located for pouring, being just off center. It is a little large to be an individual salt, though possibily an ashtray. In 1894 table silver was great and varied.

[dartsil]

Seems everyone is of same opinion that it is not a spout, Maybe images are deciving a little, 'spout' part is dead centre and not off centre.

Seems a very over the top design to simply be a nut dish though? But I will not discount it.

I would discount it being an ashtray, to big and why a handle?

[JLDoggett]

If that is round, your photos definatly distorts it, it could be the angle or the type of lense, but it appears to be somewhat egg-shaped. That is why I first thought it was shaped like a peach.

As for the spout: a spout on something this size would not have a rim. The rim would cause it to pour with great difficulty, any liquid would would simply spill over the rim in a very messy manner. A true spout would bevel to the very edge of the piece so the fluid could pour where it was intended.

The possibility of it being an ash-tray is based on the mental image of a cigar resting in that groove (remember in the 1890 cigars were more popular and available than cigarettes. The feet would raise the possible hot spot (where the cigar rests on the bottom) from transfering to the table or tablecloth. the size would be quite normal to hold the ashes from a second cigar with one's port.

Or it could be the under-tray for a handleless piece.