Monkey Business...

[Cole]

I purchased this monkey about 15 years ago from an antique dealer.  I thought for years that it wasn't an antique because the petina seemed to be painted on (to make it look like weathered brass).  I decided recently to get a second opinion.  The base shows signs of age to me, with drip marks from whatever metal is was constructed of.  There are no marks on the monkey that would distinquish a maker or age.  To be honest, I dont even know the orginal purpose it served... Is it a bird bath or what?  How old is it?  And does it have it any value at all?

Thanks for looking,

Cole~

[talesofthesevenseas]

I have seen these before. He is a calling card holder. In the Victorian era these would be in the foyer of the home and when a person came to visit, the guest would drop their calling card into the little dish in he is holding. Calling cards were very similar to business cards, but they were for social visits. The question is if yours is the real thing or a reproduction. Can you see any lead solder in the seams on the base?

[talesofthesevenseas]

Disregard the question about solder since this is cast iron, but you can see quite a few variations of these online if you google antique monkey card holder.

[Cole]

Well the reason I started second guessing myself is that the bottom seems to be constructed in a manor that would tell me it is old.  Surely the petina is painted on, but it could have been painted on to make it look better, and not to decieve anyone.  Its got some rust holes in it, that perhaps they were just trying to protect.  It could have been worn so bad that instead of just throwing it out, they tried to fix it.

My hunch is that its atleast 50 years old, but how do I tell if its truley victorian?

Thanks for your time,

Cole~

[KC]

Cole, these days on some items a hands-on inspection is required by an expert to determine that.

There are places in Mexico and S Texas that have been knocking items like this out by the thousands, in fields,  over the years...they let them sit outside in the elements and even put on chemicals to speed up the process of aging/rusting.

Do you have any history on yours?