I couldn't get a picture of the bottom of this but it is embossed (on the outside bottom) "NO. 71; PAT IN US.; DEC. 22. 1903; JULY. 17. 1906; M; 13. Any idea what this was used for? Thanks, Jim
It appears to me to be a "catch jar" for an old wall mounted coffee grinder. Beans were in a larger container on top and the smaller jar caught the ground coffee. Maybe a little more research on grinders might turn up a match with the embossing on the bottom.
Fred