posted on August 24, 2004 06:47:34 PM new
I have the following water cooler I have spent hours trying to research and have come up with nothing.
It is a steel pedestal with enamel coating, the inner tank is made of ceramic, and the lid is removable. It has a bowl on the front with a drain pipe that goes back inside to drain into a bucket. I'm not sure if it is a water cooler or a Dentists rinse basin/tank.
Also, I am guessing it is Art Deco, but what do you think? Please help.
posted on August 24, 2004 07:46:41 PM new
I would be more inclined to think a dentist's rinse basin. That is the same color that much of the dental equipment was in the early 50's and before. Also, the manufacturer always had their name displayed prominently on their equipment. I can still remember as a kid sitting in a dentist chair and staring at the word "Ritter" on the drill unit.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on August 24, 2004 10:54:52 PM new
It looks like a dental basin. My uncle was a dentist but I don't remember one like that.
It could be older like early 40's. Not later because they had running water into them and not a cooler.
posted on August 25, 2004 07:42:48 PM new
Is the ceramic water tank removeable? If so, are there any identifying marks on the bottom of it? Examine every square inch of it with a flashlight and magnifying glass if necessary for the inside of the pedestal. There is almost certainly a plate or an area with a patent number on it. If you can find that number, we can ascertain the date these started into production. Don't forget to check the bottom side of the base.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on August 25, 2004 08:24:33 PM new
I doubt an office cooler like that with a spiget that goes around the basin. Where would you put a cup. It is an interest piece and ofcourse probably was used before running water. I tried searching for quite some time last night but never found anything.
posted on August 26, 2004 09:57:05 AM new
My daughter is a dental assistant and I sent this thread to the dentist she works for and maybe he can shed some light on this. She told me he had a grandfather that was also a dentist so maybe he has even seen one. I will post later today.
posted on August 26, 2004 12:13:00 PM new
thanks for the info. I listed it on ebay, but no bids yet. I will watch it and see what happens. I may pull it at the end if I'm not satisfied with the bids.
posted on August 26, 2004 01:26:13 PM new
Always a good taste to leave in bidders' mouthes when there isn't a reserve -- "Sorry, don't like the price. Too bad."
posted on August 26, 2004 02:09:33 PM new
I think it's a water FOUNTAIN.
The fact the spout faces and flows UP kind of rules out a dental device- that would have a dispenser pointed DOWN and clear of the bowl to fill a cup. The spigot location in the bowl could get contaminated by a patient's expectorant if this were a dental fixture.
I suspect the bowl is just like on modern fountains- to catch drips and misses and runoff when people let the water run "to get cold" before they drink.
Era? Probably 40's even early 50's. The design on the base and the style of the lettering suggests it's not 30's.
Design style? I'm with upriver, ass or not, on this -it's NOT art deco- it's pure industrial design, "post war modern" (altho it first appeared in the 30's) or "machine age" altho it's a bit too finished for that.
Whatever it is designwise, it's a great improvement aesthetically over the corrugated galvanized cans that have replaced it in modern times.
posted on August 26, 2004 02:30:18 PM new
two id's. i've never hid the fact i have two id's, especially in the Round Table. rusty is my personal account and shag is my business account.
my business partner had listed it on here for me using my gumbo account because I was already signed in and she didn't notice it. We both thought it was more 40's/50's ourselves, but someone came in and said it looked Deco to them. I don't normally do these types of items since I don't know anything about them. It was a throw in item for an estate purchase we made. I am more into mid-century modern and danish modern furniture and housewares.
that was my exact reasoning for it being a water fountain rather than a dental basin. i simply couldn't see why it would shoot upwards if it was that.
as for pulling it, I think that is my perogative as a seller and isn't against Ebay policy. I know someone locally who wants it for more double the minimum bid, and I don't like reserves because they tend to scare away bidders.
posted on August 26, 2004 02:34:23 PM new
Fine, so I'm an ass, tell me something I don't know...
At least I KNOW it's not Art Deco, even the most basic knowledge of art periods & design would tell you that. I think you need help with a lot more than identifying some piece. How about help with your manners, your insults, and the presumed way you run what some bidders would find a very offensive way of selling.
I have canceled auctions before the 7-day period, but NEVER if a bid has been placed. That is simply sleazy.
Yep, call me an ass, but it is SLEAZY SLEAZY SLEAZY.
posted on August 26, 2004 03:12:19 PM new
upriver: It's more than sleazy, it's a specific selling offense and can get your fanny booted off eBay: reserve fee avoidance.
Go to eBay.com
Click on Site Map
Click on Investigations (in middle column)
Page down to Circumventing Fees. Click on that.
Page down to Reserve Fee Avoidance. Note that you can report it right there and then.
Thanks to rusty's charming manners and sunny disposition (not to mention the blatant violation of Vendio Community Guidelines), I imagine more than a few of us will be watching this auction to see if it runs afoul of the Reserve Fee Avoidance rule.
posted on August 26, 2004 03:50:22 PM new
Perhaps I should clarify my comments. I know removing an auction if bids are placed would break the rules, and what I meant was I will keep an eye on it and see if anyone bids on it, as well as monitor how many watchers there are. If no one bids towards the end, I will pull it and sell it locally. I've been selling clothing on ebay for 5 years, and I know more about mid-century modern furniture and collectibles, than I do about things like this. I also know the rules, and have no intentions of breaking ebay rules. Go ahead and watch away. I'm not too worried about it.
As for Upriver, I posted this on here to ask for help. Guess why I would want help? It may because I am not an expert with items like this. Upriver instead came in, was rude, and it was not appreciated. I didn't post this to get sarcasm from a professional moron. No one should have to deal with that. If you want to defend upriver, then so be it. You're simply feeding the ego.
People of all backgrounds come here, and some ask questions and get input. They shouldn't have to be subjected to rudeness because they don't know what period something comes from or what it is or what it's value is.
posted on August 26, 2004 04:09:50 PM new
i know what you mean, rusty ... i too come here asking about things in a genre i know nothing about, but give my uninformed "idea" as to what an item might be classified as, and SOMETIMES just sometimes, you get rude answers ... but thankfully, those are just mixed in with a lot of nice answer/opinions ... gotta love this board, and gotta know what to turn the other cheek on. LOL
[ edited by AintRichYet on Aug 26, 2004 04:18 PM ]
posted on August 26, 2004 04:18:43 PM new
Yes, I completely agree.
I could have completely ignored it , but I'm simply not in the mood to have people be that way.
I, by no means am perfect, and like 99.9% (this would exclude upriver of course) of people across the world, don't know everything about everything at all times. I am always reading and learning new things. I put up something to get input on, like so many others have done, only to be subjected to people who think they are better than others and can simply walk over them by being rude and insulting.
The irony of all of this is that I spent several hours researching this thing at Powells Bookstore and at the Library and found nothing. Then I put it up here to see if anyone knew. One person suggested it looked like it was from the Deco period, and not knowing, we put it up for suggestions. Upriver obviously knows for sure it isn't Deco, but has yet to provide any constructive info beyond insults.
I just found out I'm leaving town tomorrow morning on a buying trip, and won't even be able to watch the item end, so I went and updated it with a Reserve anyways.
[ edited by rustygumbo on Aug 26, 2004 06:02 PM ]
posted on August 26, 2004 06:34:22 PM new
thanks for the info. there hasn't really been a consensus, beyond it is definately not art deco. At any rate, I will have a friend keep an eye on it and report any activity while I'm gone. I got a call about a really cool late 50's Danish Sofa, and I need one for my home. I figure if I have to drive 4 hours to check it out, we should just make a weekend of it.
[ edited by rustygumbo on Aug 26, 2004 06:36 PM ]
posted on August 27, 2004 05:10:30 AM new
everyone changing names,no one knows whos, who...I love this cloak and dagger sh@t
[ edited by classicrock000 on Aug 27, 2004 05:11 AM ]
