Topic: mystery drinking object.

[Paul S.]

Associated with drinking in some way or other - but not sure how.    Large ground/polished concave pontil, and with very pronounced wear around the outside of the base - so guess it might be somewhere between 60 and 100 years old.  Height is about 3.5/8"/93mm tall.  Is something missing from the top hole perhaps?    Be interested to hear if anyone does know its intended use, or idea of age - and thanks for looking

[keith]

Posset cup,baby feeder or invalid 'tot'? :huh:

[Paul S.]

actually Keith, I also had invalid drinking mug/cup possibility in mind       I'd go with your 'posset cup' idea - other than the fact that I believe they always had two handles, and whilst originating in the C17 (Ravenscroft), did not (I think) extend to the late C19 or C20 as I believe this does  -  of course I could be well 'off the wall' with that comment.   I also understand that spouts on 'possets' were generally of finer shape and design.         Not sure about the baby feeder idea  -  although I guess that prior to the advent of plastics/Bakelite or whatever, then glass and ceramics were the only materials available, so a possibility maybe.

[Frank]

Looks like a 'Spout cup' but no handle? Trawl through medical collection sites if you can bear it, they are invariably hundreds of pages with numbered pagelinks. But good chance you will find it.

[rosieposie]

A couple of thoughts to consider Paul.

The hole in the top could be for two purposes;

one is to fill it (pretty obvious really) and the other is to control the flow: 

If you put water in it and the start to pour, then place your thumb over the hole, the flow will stop.  We used to use a more refined and modern item like this for irrigating eyes....called an undine.

It could also have been used as an infant feeder and you might like to ask this group of collectors

http://acif.org/

They seem to have every infant feeding bottle known to man!! (or woman!)

Just as a point of interest....I used to be a designer for a baby feeding bottle company (within my nursing remit :srn:) and designed the 'Avent' Baby Feeding Bottle.....it took the company over 10 years to be brave enough to produce it, it was considerered too way out at the time!!

I had a huge collection of old bottles, but never any like this one!

It could well be that it is an invalid feeder.....

[chopin-liszt]

The feature of the "no-spill" funnel reminds me of Ivo's "Blue Henries" - could it be a sputum collector?

[Ivo]

http://www.google.nl/images?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&biw=1440&bih=717&gbv=2&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=invalid+cup&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

[Paul S.]

thanks for the replies everyone
the more I look at it, it does seem that invalid feeder of some description is highly likely - and Frank's comment re spout cup (but minus handle) a good possibility.    The images in the 'Invalid Cup' link, almost all appear to have a handle and the spout appears to start more from the bottom of the cup  -  whereas this one has a spout some way up the item, and of course no handle.       I have yet to try the medical collection sites, but will get around to it later.
rosie  -  I have tried the links to the USA baby feeder collectors site but they seem presently inactive.   Yes, do understand your comments re putting thumb over the hole i.e. air pressure supporting the water and preventing it coming out.   Same as the old schoolboy science lab thingy where you place a piece of card over a part filled tumble - invert it quickly, and the watch how the contents stay put.
Sue   -  could be wrong, but can't see it being a spitoon, unless you are a world champion spitter through tiny holes - mind you, I haven't seen Ivo's book so maybe there are some examples similar to this.
But believe eventually it will have an id of invalid feeder of some description.

[ju1i3]

Aside from the spout on the side the shape is the same as some old ink wells. (I have never seen a feeder without a handle so I am skeptical of that.) If it is an inkwell I'm wondering about putting the pen in the spout to hold it?

[rosieposie]

We are all trying lateral thinking....that's good!!

I like the inkwell idea, and have looked at hundreds.... this was the nearest I found
 
 http://compare.ebay.com/future/200536472038?var=svip&sort=BestMatch

Also  thinking outside the box....John (my inventive hubby) suggested a form of egg separator....the yolk being retained in the top and the white poured out the spout.

Then I thought that the dilemmma of sore or cracked nipples could mean that a nursing Mother might place this to her breast so the nipple entered the hole in the top.  Spout pointing downwards with a rubber teat,  could mean that the infant feels it is still being breast fed,  but affording relief for the poor nursing Mother.....just a thought?

A gravy/fat separator was a further thought,  but I think you would need a handle if the gravy was hot.

Anyway....back to the detective work....... :wsh: