Antique wooden cup???

[Andrew]

Found this in my wall during renos.  My home is circa 1865 and the "cup" was in the wall above the front door if that means anything.

[Rauville]

There was an old superstition stating that if you place a container / bottle of nails or broken glass in the wall of a new house over the door it would prevent witches from entering your home. Was the cup empty? 

[mart]

Odd !!  Looks like a built in leather coaster !!

[Andrew]

The cup was empty and on it's side so I thought it may have fallen from the second floor though the balloon framing.  But it could very well be a tradition which may be more likely. Andrew

[talesofthesevenseas]

That is waaay cool! I hope you've got a great place to display it!

[bigwull]

Odd !!  Looks like a built in leather coaster !!

there losing their power Mart....either that or its yer peepers that are needing a rest...

[KC]

That was my first impression as well Wullie and my peepers are just fine!

I have seen leather covered wood cups over the years.  The bottom looks like it is wrapped and the sides looks like they are pegged to hold a leather piece!!!

[mart]

That's what I thought KC !!  But if the house is 1865 a wooden doesn`t seem to fit unless,,, what is your location ??  Southern states ??

[Andrew]

I'm very far from the southern states up here in Canada{near Ottawa} Look at this picture and you will see on each side there's a stop where it looks like something was broke off.

[mart]

Perhaps it isn`t a cup after all,,, but I have no idea what it might have been !!

[greenacres]

Mart maybe when the house was built the made the cup out of rough materials. They knew they were putting it behind a wall. They probably didn't want to waste a good cup.

[bigwull]

Mart maybe when the house was built the made the cup out of rough materials. They knew they were putting it behind a wall. They probably didn't want to waste a good cup.

that sounds Chinese..."they did,nt want to waste a good cup.....so they stick it in a wall......what a waste..if you ask me....btw...whateve r happened to that do,da...that you gave to whatshername in the museum.....

[mart]

Well,, the places on the bottom look as if it had something else there and it broke,, but what I don`t know !! If it happened while house was being built,, wonder if it was a nail cup !! I mean they didn`t have nail aprons back then !!  Needed someplace to put nails while hammering !! A small wooden piece on each side would have allowed it to slide or sit on the 2x4 if its wide enough !! Didn`t have to climb up and down ladder so often that way !!
Oh well,, that's my best guess,, that would also explain the leather !!

[greenacres]

Bigwull I'm in the middle of getting it appraised.  The museum wouldn't  do that, but it is what I said. The curator agreed.

[greenacres]

What I meant about the wooden cup was they took maybe left over building materials to make the cup, not one they personally used in the home. Sorry I can't explain it better than that,