Need Help Identifying This Historical Item (pics) (sixties, historian, NYC)

[Justinian1]

So I came across this historical item today at an antique shop in a small town near the southern Appalachian Mountains. I could not for the life of me figure out what it could be, and nobody in the shop was able to tell me either. I was very intrigued so I took some pictures hoping that someone with more knowledge of history or antique items might have a better idea. My initial thought was that it may have something to do with storing food in the coal mines, but I now have my doubts about that.


Can anyone help me to identify this unknown antique? It will be greatly appreciated








And mods, if this is the wrong forum to post this in, I do apologize.

[silibran]

I am a little frustrated with your pics! I can't see if that is a lantern or a container for change on the side.

It looks home made, but did you turn it upside down to see if there is a mfg. mark stamped in it? What is it made of? Where did it come from? (The sellers might know where it came from, even if they don't know what it is.)

I think a local historian might be a good resource for info about this, if only to identify when it might have been made.

[Justinian1]

Originally Posted by silibran

I am a little frustrated with your pics! I can't see if that is a lantern or a container for change on the side.

It looks home made, but did you turn it upside down to see if there is a mfg. mark stamped in it? What is it made of? Where did it come from? (The sellers might know where it came from, even if they don't know what it is.)

I think a local historian might be a good resource for info about this, if only to identify when it might have been made.

Thanks for your post, Silibran. I did end up figuring it out though. Turns out it is an antique brass noodle street vendor display from Thailand. Very cool

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by Justinian1

Thanks for your post, Silibran. I did end up figuring it out though. Turns out it is an antique brass noodle street vendor display from Thailand. Very cool

Hmmm, I was sitting here wondering if it could have been an early and portable predecessor of the weenie wagons that you saw in the streets of NYC in the Fifties and Sixties. However, the cup kept telling me, no.

How did a Thai noodle vendors kit end up there I wonder?