Round crock with a cork

The same Blind Pig reader (she’s an Angel!!) who gave me the last What Is It? gave me this one too. It’s a pottery piece that measures about 10 inches long and about 5 inches high.

Bottom of round pottery piece with a cork

 

This is what the end looks like-I believe this is the end the piece would stand on when not in use-so it’d take up less room.

10 inch long pottery piece with cork

 

The top has a hole-with a cork stopper.

Ridged bottom of pottery piece with cork

 

The bottom has 2 flat ridges to keep the item stable.

*Update: The first comment on this post, from Jo, had me running through the house like a crazy person. Jo is right!! The Potters fingerprints are in those brown places on the end of the item. SWEET!

Any guesses?

Tipper

 

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33 Comments

  1. I’m not sure. I don’t think it’s a footwarmer because it has TWO holes.
    Could it be a peculiar type of birdhouse? I collect ceramic/pottery birdhouses, and I’ve seen some that look like jugs and bottles.
    God bless.
    RB
    <><

  2. I totally agree about the UGGS! First thing I thought.But, I never knew about any ceramic foot warmers-it sure makes sense to me.Yet another fascinating lesson from Blind Pig :-).

  3. I was definitely wrong, it is a foot warmer. I have never seen one like this but did see a metal one that you put hot coals in and used when traveling in a wagon.

  4. Tipper,
    I have no idea. It may be a foot
    warmer of some sort, but I ain’t
    never seen one like this. Except
    for the cork, it looks like my
    Colman stove pressurized tank.
    …Ken

  5. wow .. a foot warmer would be great just about now.. with our high temperature at 10 degrees.. brrr but you know what? i think its a thing to catch some sort of bugs.. ??? they go in and get trapped? so interesting about the fingerprint too… i think thats a neat thing… sorta like a signature.
    big ladybug hugs..
    xo
    lynn

  6. If it is a hot water bottle why would need two openings? Or is the other end sealed? The pictures don’t show it.

  7. Tipper,
    I am going to have to stop staying up late and sleeping in.
    The quite of night, except for the little varmits, that chirp, hoot and scream outside, help my figity drawing hand…
    Wow! I just about missed this post..I think it is a foot warmer. Last night, after losing circulation in my feet from sitting so long, my feet were cold…I could have used that there gadget…I had one, and ended up selling it…shucks…
    You know it is common for potters or handlers of the pottery to leave their signature finger prints in the clay…sometimes on purpose and sometimes accidently.
    These being brownish stain, and the placement..I (ewwwww) wonder if it was the handler, that had just cut his hand or finger, moving it to the drying rack before the kiln…don’t know…but then poor feller, he probably didn’t have a sponge-bob bandaid to plop on the cut, probably didn’t even have gauze or white adhesive tape….
    Sorry, about this, I’ve got to get some more sleep….
    Thanks Tipper, loved this post!

  8. I am taking two guesses – one, it might be a separator, ex. cream from milk or it could be something to put hot water into to put into a bed or along with what would be used as a hot water bottle for aches and pains, etc.
    Humm! I can’t wait to know what it really is. Love the look and the signature.

  9. I’m going to guess that it’s a water jug. You fill it up at the well and bring it in the house so you don’t have to run back and forth. Love the potters fingerprints. So cool!
    Can’t wait to find out what it really is!

  10. Tipper–I rather think it is an old-time foot warmer. You put hot water in it, insert the stopper, and warm your feet when you climb into bed. Even if that’s not what it is, I can definitively state that something very similar was in common use in Edinburgh, Scotland when I spent some time there many years ago. I was still active in the world of historical research at the time and my host was the Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh. Each night before I went off to a cold, cold bed, I’d fill up the foot warmer with hot water and place it under the covers. The thick walls of the container kept it from burning and retained the heat for hours.
    Even if that isn’t the intended use of this item, I guarantee it would work for that purpose.
    Jim Casada
    http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com

  11. I’m going to have to guess it’s some kind of whiskey/brew making crock. Seems like me aunt had something similar, only much bigger.

  12. I *think* it’s a hot water bottle–maybe a foot warmer for a carriage/wagon? I swear I used to know but can’t q-u-i-t-e remember what I knew. Fun post–esp the update!

  13. I totally see the UGGS. Too funny. I think have seen this type of thing before; is it called a pig? I’m curious to know its intended use.

  14. Tipper,
    That last time you showed a “What is it”, I had a vague idea what it was but, this one totally baffles me. That marking on the bottom looks like it was painted on with Albany slip. And also, maybe I am hallucinating but I swear, that looks like an action drawing of a girl from the waist down with a pair of fur topped Ugg
    Boots gingerly walking down the road! LOL

  15. I know what this is, but what I like best are those brown smudges on the bottom. Potter accidentlally left his fingerprints.

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