Found this about 3 weeks ago, and it was sitting in my trunk since then. I FINALLY cleaned my car out today, as it literally looked like a homeless packrat's vehicle, and cleaned a bunch of stuff up.
It appears to be a small bowl, and it is made completely of lead. On the bottom, it says "Presbyterian Hospital".
It's on the smaller size, and you'll notice in one photo, a can of shaving cream fits almost exactly inside perfectly.
Does anyone know on or about when they stopped using lead in serving wear and/or cooking utensils?
Joe
That's really a strange find. If I were you I'd put a geiger counter to it just in case it was used in the lab!!
Ed
That is a curious find indeed Joe. trying to guess what we have found is just one of the many interesting aspects of detecting. The shape puts me in mind of a mortar, used for grinding special meds. Found a web reference to mortars being made of bell metal, an alloy of copper and tin, but usually more lead than tin. Anyway, whatever it is, it's neat alright.
It's amazing what one can find when one FINALLY cleans out ones car! I agree that it may be a mortar for grinding small pills.
Gerry
Could it be that old and was used for distributing some fluid type medicines? Like a measuring cup but in this case a bowl?
Very cool piece of history you have there, congratulations!
Oh wow, that's pretty sweet! If that's a mortar then that's a superb find! Get a small pestle and put it on display for sure
Nice find Joe, there was a Presbyterian Hospital in Newark NJ .If you google Newark Presbyterian Hospital Newark NJ you can read about it.
The presbyterian hospital in NJ was named in 1910, and the presbyterian hospital in NY was founded in 1868. Can't find an example of your bowl online. Can you get a zoomed in clear shot of the stamp on the bottom? The script they used may help to date it
Now wow what a weird discovery. I think that is a medicine grinding bowl from back on the old days when stuff was bought in a powder form. The inner curved lip is why i think that