FREE: Heavy Enamel Wall Pocket? Pretty Blue Floral Design

Plastic bags haven't been around that long especially when anything with enamel was widely used. They even used enamel widely in the 1800's! Plastic bags didn't come out until about the 1970's if I remember right. However, it could be used before. They didn't have the paper coffee filters until about the 1960's maybe either, but the pattern name seems right.

This is a letter holder for outgoing mail

These patterns were popular about 1840 to about 1880 I think. Enamel was used quite frequently by the common man. Only the rich could afford china anything.

Just so's you know, for future reference. Usually, a wall pocket was in reference to a ceramic container that would hold a small plant.

This scooper would have been used to measure flour or something smooth like that. The holes in the sides could also be used to tap off any excess flour, so the could get the measurement exactly and very near to perfect! That way the mercantile owner didn't go over on the amount of flour and lose his profit. He also didn't go under the amount of flour needed, so he wasn't called the town cheat! But, the store keeper NEVER, EVER made the mistake of leaving the scooper in the bulk bin because when the orders came in, the person bringing the items for sale didn't have time to wait for such 'piddly' stuff as getting the scooper out of the barrel.-His time was very valuable too bc he usually had to get home before nightfall too, or the wife would be upset, believing that he was 'hanging out with the saloon girls again', getting drunk! The millers, people who ground wheat into flour, had to keep their wife and family happy with them, too. Each town always had the items for sale that went through the mercantile: flour, lumber, a minute few groceries, etc. According to the town's resources, is generally what they sold at the mercantile. And no, unlike the TV show, "Little House on the Prairie", the store keepers were often broke, too. =D

Yes, if the flour fell out of the sides of the scoop, the mercantile store keeper had to start over counting how many scoops of flour they had put into the burlap bag. Each different number of scoops meant a certain measurement. It had to be accurate so that it would measure right the first time or two on the hanging scale. It was also important bc the farmer's wife had to be able to feed the family for the month. Nobody lived close together in Pioneer days; so running into town, to the Mercantile Store could take most of the day to arrive there; then, a very short time to get their order and make sure that it was right; and, still make it safely home with everything before nightfall. Then at home, they still had to unload the wagon carefully and that before total darkness. Back then, they also did not have electricity like we do. Everything was by lantern or candle light, after dark. That's why farmers and their families arose from sleep at the crack of dawn; and, they farmed until dark when they couldn't see anymore. Then they'd come in the house, and wash up, and the wife would have supper on the table. She did all the back-breaking work around the house, even if she was in the family way. (Gonna have a little one). Of course, the neighboring farmers did what they could to help. But still, a lot of it, the wife had to do on her own, because the others had their own responsibilities, too. But, measurements back in those days were extremely important because it could mean the difference in eating at the end of the month before getting paid, or having to miss meals because someone got careless about measuring everything.

Yes. Back in those days, people that worked at the mercantile store were brutally honest bc the townspeople held them up to a very high standard. Everyone was like that back then. You only missed Church if your were sick on your DEATH BED, literally. So, if you worked at the mercantile store, you also sold flour, granulated sugar, etc., in bulk to the townspeople who would bring repurposed burlaps sacks with a measurement on it. The store keeper used this to measure the flour into the bags. IF the flour fell out of the sides of the scoop they took longer for the sale; and, had to do it again, making sure they counted the right number of scoops also; because each number of scoops meant an exact measurement of flour, sugar, etc. Then, to make certain for sure that it was right and accurate, it was weighed on a scale. If it wasn't enough, they added more scoops until it came right, on the scale. If it was too much it had to be put back into the bin; bc people in those days were very poor and couldn't usually afford to get more than they could afford for each month. That also meant, they had to be very careful with their purchases to get them home safely without tearing the bag or breaking an item bc they could not afford to replace the lost amount of flour from a torn bag, or if an item broke, like a looking glass, (hand-held mirror for example), or a window-even those were placed on order back then, could not be replaced right away because it was too expensive.

Btw, these scoopers were purposely designed that way, to keep people that honest. =d

It probably was used for scooping flour and the likes of that. Back in the olden days to work in a bakery or the mercantile to measure the flour and ingredients, you had to have an extremely steady hand. roseysylace, above, was right, when she said that the flour would fall off the sides, when being put straight into a burlap bag. However, if this happened the merchant had to start over with the scoop that fell out so that the measurement on the scale would be honest and true to life. Back then, everyone in sales was brutally honest. =D

This is indeed, a very interesting piece. Good luck with your auction. This scooper is very pretty! =D

Hi, Ok, I talked to my collector friend, the design on the piece is called blue onion pattern, he believes its a cone style coffee filter holder. I wish you good luck with your auction. :)

my guess, a paper plate holder

My mom used something like this when I was young to hols mail

Way back in the olden days, things were invented for one purpose, but often times people would use them for something else. I think this is one of those items. I remember people using something like this in flour bins when I lived in Europe and went to the bakery shop. I thought it was inefficient because flour would fall off the side. Sometimes these were just multipurpose tools. People used tools like this for all sorts of things. An onion utensil holder? I'm going to have to look that one up! Thanks! (I'm familiar with the broom holders and salt boxes like that and even match holders.)

The holes in the back. Remember, it's in too good a shape to be used as a dustpan, a drip candle would have been a problem, but is possible because you always carried a candle like a candle holder above you not directly in front of you or you couldn't see. However, most candle holders would have had a ring handle. Try searching ebay or for antique candle holders and see what you come up with.

They used the holes to hang them on nails to put on the wall. Most holes for my dustpan were on the handle though. Although you could use it for a drip candle too.

Well i don't think its a scooper, if it didn't have the openings on bottom side, it could have been. There's nothing to hold what you scoop up and it would bend the piece. I have a friend who collects a lot of things,, hes looking for a answer. :)

I just remember them being used when I was young. These are before those silver looking scoops came out that they still use in places today! Many of these were used in bakeries or some place where things needed to look nice. They then used something similar for dust pans later, but put a rubber looking cushion across the lip and it was spread out more. There were also some pans that were kind of like this that were made of metal and were black to use for bins with the old cast iron free standing stoves (pot belly stoves) so you could scoop away the ashes. But, those were solid black and cheaply made. The one you have here was for scooping out of big barrels in a bakery or a general store when the store keeper would scoop up the flour into flour sacks like a gunny sack then tie it with twine. These weren't used in the general household usually, so you don't find as many of them.

No, the holes on the bottom were so that you could hang it on some nails. It was originally invented to be a flour bin or sugar scoop for the big barrels, but you can use it as a spoon rest too for the big spoons as long as it won't scratch your surfaces!