Is there a way to date something like this piece?

Probably not but I LOOOVE the horseshoe nail trumpet!!!

 

Think the gurus of glass will say no. Sun catchers (Christmas ornament?) have been made for a long time & continue to be made. The bit that catches my eye is the trumpet. Horseshoe nail?

See I was typing while KOT was nipping in with a post. Nice to have confirmation.

 

eBidet for that I'd say or give it to a friend who likes/collects angels.

 

The basic body I've seen, but I would think that the nail trumpet was someone's addition after the original broke off.

 

Is that what that is? Awesome. Rusty though.

 

Yes it is.

 

Using that old nail as a trumpet was a brilliant idea on someone's part!

I have an old Kodak film canister filled with hand-made nails removed during renovations at our old house in CT (built ca.1730) They're not horseshoe nails, but I'll bet some of them would make very fine angels' trumpets!

 

Nice!!!

 

Could be that incorporating horseshoe nails or otherwise repurposing old hardware was a signature feature of this artisan's work. The halo also has bit of a found object look to it.

 

Hadn't thought of that, Bronwen, but you may well be right - and it would be a pretty "cool" signature feature!

 

Could be. Those of us that fabricate and fix ‘normal’ and unusual things always have our eyes open and brain working as to what we can do with what we see about us, even if it’s much later.
The world and the things in it are our palette.
We repurpose just because we can.

 

What a wonderful skill to have.

 

Thank you.