Featured I have another whatsit?

I bought this at auction for $2. It's heavy brass, maybe bronze. At first it just looks like a dog figurine but it's odd. The head comes off and there's a hole going down into the body. But there's no matching hole in the head. There's also a recess in the bottom and it looks like there's black ink there. It also looks like ink has run down the outside next to the hole. But it could be something that was used to age the brass.

It's 3" long.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

Seems like it could be an inkwell or part of one but perhaps simply a paper weight.

 

A Google image search of "antique dog inkwell" will bring up similiars.

Debora

 

I'm having a hard time seeing this as an inkwell. There's not a place for the ink I can see as it has a hole to the bottom and the tiny hole hardly looks big enough for an ink cup. Maybe a vial insert? Maybe just a pen holder?

 

Hmmmm....
Could it have held a fountain pen, designed to or not, and because of the way it (didn't) fit it leaked? It may have never been moved on a desk and the person didn't know this was happening?

 

Hi,
Looks like a pen wipe. Probably had a wadded up cotton wipe in the body.
greg

 

That was my thought too. A search found nothing though.

And believe me, I did a search for this as an inkwell and none of them are like this. They all had a place for a small font, usually glass.

 

I really didn't see it until looking at the photos, but it looks like there are lots of small spots of a reddish brown paint in the recessed areas. It may have been cold painted when new.

 

Can the pup's head face in any direction when set on the body or are the two parts keyed to unite in one direction only?

 

I should think...it doesn't have a pin.

 

It fits in any direction. There is also nothing to keep it centered or to keep it from sliding off.

 

I found this dog that has a similar hole in the base to screw the head on.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Bro...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557