Featured What is it? and what is it used for?

Hello everyone I bought this and done some research and found the company that made it, the date it was made, where it was made and what it is made off but unfortunately I don't know what it was made for and why it has a hole in the side?
Any thoughts?
I was thinking a handle of some sort.

 

Geeze Sir...that's an awful lot of info you don't seem willing to share with us...

Ya gotta help us to help you !!

 

Sorry about that, so the maker is James Dixon & Son. It was made in Sheffield between 1835-1920 and is electroplate Britannia metal.

 

I imagine someone will know but about how big is it?

 

Yes, what is the bigness?

 

It isnt hinged, is it?

I think a handle would have an opening to the base.

 

From what I have found the banner wasn't added until 1879 or 1881 depending on who you are reading.

I was wondering if it could be a pawn from a chess set.
Then I saw the Wiki, where it said the firm made whistles.

It's an odd shape for a whistle, but there are 3 holes. One on the side and the two on the bottom. Try it and see it if makes a whistle sound.

 

Hi, it's 4.5cm tall and 4.5cm wide.
Thanks for your input.

 

Hi, no it's not a hinged and I agree, I don't think it is a handle.
Thanks for your input.

 

Hi, I gave it a try but no noise or air out of the holes. I don't think it is a whistle but good idea about a pawn for a chess set.
Thank you for your input.

 

I have no idea because I can't get past thinking it's a teapot lid knopf. Anyway, I found these which don't agree on what they are but made me wonder if it could be a place card holder with a little piece missing that would have been inserted into the hole (like a little wire loop for example).

Place weights
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/11111254_257-set-of-four-james-dixon-and-sons-sheffield-1903


Knife rest

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/54290391_antique-james-dixon-and-sons-sterling-knife-rest

 

I like where you're going with this...
It does look like that hole was meant to have something inserted there.....

 

Thanks say it slowly. I also like your idea. it's a good one. I just weighed it and it's 56g. I wonder if that would be heavy enough but then again the diameter of the base should be large enough and would not need to be weighted.

 

My first impression was like the OP's, that it is some form of handle or finial for a tea or coffee pot. But that would only make sense if the holes in the base were threaded so they could be bolted through the lid, which they dont look to be.

And the single hole to the side does not fit that idea.

Equally I'm not yet convinced by the knife rest idea!

 

Just throwing it out there. It could be a handle if there were two of them and they were put onto something (a dish?) using a rivet instead of a screw??

 

That looks good...but the two holes in the base don't look like they could secure the piece to any drawer ...?

 

Not only that, but it seems very odd to me that something intended never to be removed would have such robust marking on the bottom. Why does it need a part number of its own?

 

Very good point.

 

Found a catalog, but unless I missed it I couldn't find it in there.

http://www.pewterbank.com/Dixons_1926_catalogue_of_some_351_and_more_pages..pdf

http://www.pewterbank.com/html/dixon_of_sheffield.html