Can anyone identify this silver dish?
by
Mary J Spear
+14
It is silver. It was used as an open air sanatorium in Oregon. It is hollow and filled with sand . You can see the filler tube with the knob on one side. And because of the sand it is quite heavy. We could use your help identifying if this is a part of a set or why it's hollow and has the sand in it. Thanks.
13 answers
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Could this have been a serving dish with hot water in the bottom of container??
Margaret Bowen
on Oct 16, 2016
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The open-air sanatorium of Portland Oregon was a medical facility devoted to pulmonary tuberoculosis, pre civil war times. As for the dish itself, not sure what it is, sorry. Good luck!
Jacqui
on Oct 16, 2016
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Its an ashtray. the sand is used to make it heavy
Jan10066175
on Oct 16, 2016
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I think it is a dish for serving hot foods and would be filled with hot water to keep the meal warm.
Rose
on Oct 16, 2016
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I was wondering if it could be heated and the sand keeps things warm.
Mary J Spear
on Oct 16, 2016
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Sand is used as an insulator to keep rocket stoves hot. This was probably used to keep food warm and was probably kept hot on a wood burning stove. If filled with ice & water it could also keep food cold? Primarily I believe it is to keep food hot, it probably had a dome top as well. That seems to make sense if it was used in a sanatorium.
Bit By Bit Shop
on Oct 16, 2016
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http://www.925-1000.com/Gorham_Date_Code.html Looks like it was made in 1930. I think too it could be a food warmer. It has no feet on it so I wouldn't think it would be used on a table but maybe on a wood stove as mentioned by Bit By Bit. I wonder if there is a way to find out from someone at Gorham (now owned by Lenox). What an interesting piece!
Cecelia
on Oct 16, 2016
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First of all it is not silver. It is electroplated silver. That is what the "E" and "P" stand for. It is an institutional serving plate for food. Primarily vegetables. It also would have had a lid. The base is weighted with sand so it could not be easily moved or tipped over by patients. ***** http://www.ebay.com/gds/SILVER-BY-GORHAM-MARK...
William
on Oct 16, 2016
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hospital food warmer - electro plate nickel silver = EPNS. It was never meant to be used on a wood stove. A couple of people correctly identified it - it is probably still functional, If you have little kids, you can use it to keep their dinner warm while they refuse to eat their beets - much more elegant than microwave plastic ware
Sage
on Oct 16, 2016
- See 1 previous
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why don't you use the printing on the bottom and goggle it
Rmf71
on Oct 16, 2016
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Thank you all for your help it's wonderful to know what it is.
Mary J Spear
on Oct 16, 2016
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Great to get answers from the community. You guys rock.
Mary J Spear
on Oct 16, 2016
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I had forgotten about the plastic ones. We have a daughter born in '56 maybe that rang a very distant bell for me. (Ha!)
Margaret Bowen
on Oct 17, 2016
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