Carriage Step or is it just a Footstool?

[talesofthesevenseas]

This is up for sale and I'm kinda interested. It is being sold as a cast iron carriage step. Apparently the type that required a footman to set it out for the lady to step on! I'm wondering if you feel this is an accurate description of this item or if it is actually just a cast iron footstool? I saw something similar in a train museum used by passengers to climb into sleeping compartments on trains. This one looks suspiciously like an awful lot of Victorian era cast iron footstools to me.

[D&b antiques]

It looks to me like a french style foot stool.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Yeah that is kinda what I suspected. Looking for something similar online I couldn't find much in the 19th century for comparison. I think by that point the little built in carriage steps had replaced the need for footmen, unless you were royalty. I suspect it would have to be from an earlier era to actually be a carriage step. Thanks!

[D&b antiques]

Whats the asking Price?

[KC]

I agree with D&b about the French stool.

I saw the post on Craigs List for $125.

I would ask the seller for a picture with marks on it if any are available to try and establish authenticity.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Nah, I think I'm going to pass on it. I was kind of intrigued with the idea of a carriage step but it really looks like the seller was basing this description on the wheel design more than anything factual. From everything I found it looks like a step of this kind would really have to be from a much earlier era or it would be quite rare. I also doubt that you would have what looks to be a needlework top on a step intended for outdoor use. It would be ruined in no time with the mud.

[D&b antiques]

Honestly it's worth the $125.00 Dollars. but I would'nt want to pay $50.00 Dollars.

[talesofthesevenseas]

LOL me either!

I should explain a bit here- The person who needs a footstool is my cat. At age eighteen it is becoming a little more difficult for her to climb up into my Chinese bed. I do have a matching fabric covered footstool for her now which works just fine. I just thought it would be fun if there was an antique one that had some interesting history behind it. This one wouldn't match the bed anyway I was just speculating more than anything else and thought the whole idea of a carriage step idea was kind of neat.