What is this cool thing, any suggestions on what to do with it?

Question

What the heck is this thing and what was it used for? I know that I have seen one of these with a top part but cannot remember what it was supposed to be. On the top of the two 'arms' are notches, one on each side, not big enough to hold a table top. Any ideas on what I might do with it? I only paid one dollar at a yard sale.

Kcama · Answer

It's a cast iron hot water stand - it would hold a tank of water next to a wood burning stove...before they had hot water taps. They usually have a circle top. I have a gazing ball in mine.

Cindy Corean · Answer

Depending on the size, it could have been a stand for a globe, possibly at a college or in a very large library.

Janet Pizaro · Answer

There is so ironic I bought the same piece last year at a garage sale by mine had a top on it.

Wanda sinnema · Answer

I'd clean it -just a bit - to make sure not rust or paint comes off.. depending on the height, I's add a glass top and use it for an end table or coffee table.. its a cool piece..

LILLIAN · Answer

I have a couple of these from my mothers old house. Holds heavy duty sinks. I'm making planters out of them they already have drain holes.

LILLIAN · Answer

You can uswe it after painting, put a garden globe in it would look special

Lucy · Answer

It looks like a stand that would hold an old bell. Too bad the bell is gone.

Kcama · Answer

If you Google 'cast iron water heater stands' images, you'll see lots of them (some with the original ring tops) and lots of ideas.

Mona · Answer

Could be a solar clock stand?

Janet Pizaro · Answer

They modified the top with a piece of wood. I eventully am going to use it in my garden> I love to repurpose odd pieces that way.

Laine · Answer

Possibly was the base for a mirror at one time

Maija · Answer

Hang necklaces on this

Justme · Answer

looks like it wants to be a lamp to me. let us know what you decide to do:-)

Becky D · Answer

It looks to me like it might have been a stand for a garden orb of some kind, thinking maybe one of the open metal work ones. The slots on the top may have housed a rod of some sort that the orb would have connected to somehow to the orb so it spun freely.

Lee Ann Perez · Answer

Could it have held a mirror that flipped over for a magnification side?

Tye · Answer

base holder for candles. :-)

Betty Miller · Answer

If it is iron it may have held a bell. Like school bell or there were smaller one;s at farm steads. It was mounted on pole and the bell on top of it. The ball would sit in the grouves and usually rope attached to ring it.

Darlene Perdue · Answer

Maybe a old sun dial
..

Kincaid99 · Answer

You could glue on a small base or screw it on then attach a small bowl and make a candy, candle or mini bird bath or feeder

Billie Rohl · Answer

It is a mirror stand.

Carol Morrison · Answer

If it came from a front of a building it could have been used to tie up a horse. My grandparents had a cement block with a post and ring attached in front of their old Victorian house for that purpose.

Denise · Answer

Turn it on its side, hang on wall, use for towel rack

Trish Butler · Answer

Looks like it held a round mirror.

Pammy · Answer

Looks like it would make a cool sling shot... I say that to say I haven't a clue but I like it.

Renata · Answer

U beat me to it Pammy!! I thought it was big and could just see Dumb and Dumber slinging themselves out into the yard...lol

Judyms9 · Answer

It looks like a pedestal that once held a vintage water heater.

Debbie · Answer

I googled 'cast iron hot water stand' and looked at the images. It appears to be what you have. Yours is missing a metal ring that sits perpendicular to the rest of it.. I saw that someone added a glass top that sits on the (missing) metal ring to make a cool table.

Jean Moore · Answer

I've got one that I use as a bird bath. Bought a copper bath 2 yrs ago and the bowl broke off the stand. Kept the bowl and set it atop the stand.

Patti · Answer

A cast iron water heater stand....NEVER heard of that. I looked at what debbiehoffpauir suggested on google. That is cool. I still don't really understand exactly how it worked, but I love interesting old things and that IS interesting. Thanks for teaching me something new. It's amazing what you can find.

Mary Testin · Answer

I'm not sure how big it is, but I've seen bases like that for holding beautiful glass plates or discs in the garden. A cheaper alternative would be you could make a disc from plexiglass and seal torn tissue paper or napkin flowers onto the disc. It would imitate a glass plate. You need to add some brackets on top to hold it in place, but you could screw them in.

What is this cool thing, any suggestions on what to do with it?

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What is this cool thing, any suggestions on what to do with it?

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