# Cast Iron Turtle



## swizzle (May 17, 2011)

I'm posting this for my bottle diggin' buddy. This turtle is really cool. There is a bit busted on it that should be a simple fix. Once its fixed it should work again. You press down on his head and his shell pops open. The base is cast iron and the shell is tin. well I'll let the pics do the talking. Any help would be great. Thanx for reading and happy diggin'. Swiz [8D]


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## norflo2norcal (May 17, 2011)

very cool!  i love turtle stuff.  looks like it's in good shape.  wonder how old it is?


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## JOETHECROW (May 17, 2011)

Pretty interesting item Swiz.


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## epackage (May 17, 2011)

looks like it should have a tin or glass insert to hold stuff inside....cool....Jim


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## RED Matthews (May 17, 2011)

Hi ALL,  That is one heck of a turtle item.  Thanks for showing it to us.  RED Matthews


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## RedGinger (May 18, 2011)

When I first saw the post, I thought it might be a bank.  Is there anywhere to insert a coin, like in the mouth?  That's a great turtle.


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## surfaceone (May 18, 2011)

Hey Jason,

 What's the size-o-that turtle? 

 Doorstop, if large & heavy enough... match safe...ash tray... bonbon hideout...


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## swizzle (May 18, 2011)

Its about 14 to 15 inches long so I doubt its a door stop. He seems to think it was an ashtray. Something you'd see in a bar setting. Step on the head the shell pops up and you toss your butt inside. I agree that it does seem to be missing some innards. Should have been a bowl of some type to hold something. This thing has to have some age to it. Look at the old square bolt and the bent metal hook in the last pic. I'd say at least turn of the century. Swiz


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## kungfufighter (May 18, 2011)

It's actually a foot warmer that's missing a porcelain insert.  You will at times see similar objects referred to as ash trays and/or spittoons but we had a match to yours with evidence of having been used as a foot warmer.  (Plus, because the back does not hinge far it would have been a pain in the $%# to spit or toss a butt in there.  My strong sense is that they are late 19th century.


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## swizzle (May 18, 2011)

So you fill the porcelain insert with hot coals and then stick your feet on the turtles back? That's rather interesting. Do you have any pics of other ones? Swiz [8D]


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## MIdigger (May 18, 2011)

You do find some of the most interesting things. My only turtle find was what i thought was a box turtle. Upon examination it was just the shell.


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## swizzle (May 18, 2011)

I usually find snappers on the end of my line. Biggest one I had was probably 30 pounds. Poor guys tail bones started to separate when I picked him up. I usually let 'em go as soon as I get the hook out. [8D]


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## epackage (May 18, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  kungfufighter
> 
> It's actually a foot warmer that's missing a porcelain insert.Â  You will at times see similar objects referred to as ash trays and/or spittoons but we had a match to yours with evidence of having been used as a foot warmer.Â  (Plus, because the back does not hinge far it would have been a pain in the $%# to spit or toss a butt in there.Â  My strong sense is that they are late 19th century.


 I need to see an example to believe this Jeff, I can't imagine the paint on a tin top holding up to the heat and the tin would become way too hot to put your feet on. I'm gonna have to respectfully disagree with your assessment here....Jim


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## kungfufighter (May 18, 2011)

Never seen a painted example myself and I guess I'm not convinced that the back is made of tin.  Ours (which was cast in the same mold as Swizzle's) is far more detailed than others we have seen (including one with a Chicago based Novelty Co. brass label - apparently these things were popular).  I don't have a closeup of ours (at least I think I don't) but you can see it in our 2009 booth at the Hartford Antique Show.  The piece was a favorite of many and it caused lots of discussion - many thought it was an ashtray or a spittoon but the overall burn marks on the porcelain insert led the majority of folks to believe it to be a foot warmer.


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## surfaceone (May 18, 2011)

Here's a non figural cast iron Foot Warmer that went unbid on greedbay.






 "18TH CEN CARVED OAK FOOT WARMER CIRCA 1759
 9 1/4" H X 8 1/8" D
 SOLD
 $1,800.00" From.


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## kungfufighter (May 18, 2011)

Oh, and FWIW in Swizzle's third pic you can see the lip upon which the porcelain insert rested...


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## epackage (May 18, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  kungfufighter
> 
> Oh, and FWIW in Swizzle's third pic you can see the lip upon which the porcelain insert rested...


 I agree there was an insert but since he said it was a tin top, foot warmer seemed out of place to me, had it been a cast iron top then I could see it. I would love to see more of them...Jim


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## kungfufighter (May 18, 2011)

One could easily dictate the temperature by adding more or less coals and/or adding a barrier (socks/towel, etc.) between the turtle's back and feet.  And, I could be entirely wrong but if the back was in fact tin, doesn't it have a very high melting pint?  I'll check it out on Google.

 Not saying that I have the intended usage pinned down with certainty but having owned the same object and thinking through the various possibilities of utility I've settled on the notion that the piece is more likely a foot warmer than an ashtray or spittoon.  

 Love to hear from folks with other info.


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## swizzle (May 18, 2011)

I have to agree with Mr Kung Fu. The head opening the top could easily be opened with a foot leaving both hands free to deal with hot coals. The insert might have had a top as well to help to hold the heat for a long period without burning your feet on the tin top. I can also imagine it being used with a thick pair of winter socks. The size of it also narrows out door stop and paper weight and the innards rules out any outdoor usage. I don't believe it was painted. If it looks like paint in the pic then it may be the lighting. Maybe I should post it on treasurenet too. There's a lot of helpful folks there too. Swiz


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