What it is .

[Digswithstick]

Posted one of these some time ago ,lots of ideas what is was .Bird waterer was one of the answers.I wanted to believe it was something else like a shot glass for the old crock whiskey jugs (have some with glazing inside) ,a candle holder,anything but bird waterer.The openings all seemed about the same size ,did not seem large enough to me for a bird of any size.Most waterers i had seen or found were glass and totally different shape .

 

[Digswithstick]

At antique store with mother after taking her to appointment ,saw this asked the lady if i could take picture ,"sure" she says .Mother sees it ,decides she wants it ,and buys it .Lady at store says she thinks these were taken into mines with a canary in them to detect dangerous levels of gas (canary would die when levels became high) giving men time to evacuate .

 

[Digswithstick]

We get in vehicle ,mother says " I do not want it ,birds probably died in it "
Try to convince her otherwise to no avail .She says you keep it ,i think she was planning to give it to me regaurdless(sneaky)
Guess i will have to agree, bird waterer .

 

[Digswithstick]

Can any one verify if these were type carried into mines ?[]

 

[JOETHECROW]

Rick...interesting piece...Is that little stoneware cup what I think it is? Looks kind of familiar....[]

 

[Digswithstick]

Yep Joe ,cage had one in it that is there now .The one in first picture (by itself) posted is dug one .[]

 

[surfaceone]

Can any one verify if these were type carried into mines ?

"Canary cage from a coal mine, ca. 1900. Miners observed the health of canaries to signal the presence of noxious gases before more precise measuring instruments were developed. Kentucky Historical Society Collections." From.

From.

From.

 

[JOETHECROW]

oops,...Rick,...somehow I missed the very top intro post...(My mouse is not right in the head since the great Coca-Cola spill of yesterday)[] Cool mystery solved for sure,...Also the cage is a neat and decorative item....Interesting info,...Good post.

 

[Digswithstick]

Thanks for the verification info and pics Surfacecone,am always impressed by your research skills !
Thanks Joe ,hope your mouse has speedy recovery .[]

 

[Clam]

Glad this post came up, I have always been told these were some kind of crusible for casting lead bullets which I never really believed. I have dug a few of these and now I know what they really are....