any ideas anyone? help plz

[cakey]

hi, i have here a selection of photos of some very nice, very old tools, could anyone tell me what they might be used for? they are both approx 3 foot long, 6 inch wide, horse handles at the ends, thatching?
first pic to entice you to click the links below

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/mrscake/sat14.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/mrscake/sat34.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/mrscake/sat33.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/mrscake/sat27.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/mrscake/sat13.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/mrscake/sat6.jpg

the red one even has a horse hair tail, slightly worn though

 

[StJon]

They look Scandinavian to me, type of carving for the surface decoration and the stylization of the horse heads. Though I'm no expert.
Jon

 

[Wayland]

Norwegian by the look of them.

I saw a lot of these in the Museums over there. I regret that I can't remember exactly what they were for, but I think they were kitchen or laundry implements.

 

[cakey]

narr they were made in this country, and came with a cottage attached, and were made by a Mr Dower i recon, as he lived/died their during that time. just literaly 1/4 mile away are some working stables on the next farm that also has been there since circa 1680 so at a guess there something to do with horse stuff, but what exactly i do not know. they may have been done with some scandi influence though, so good replys cheers

 

[mr dazzler]

some sort of linen press or iron type thing to smooth out bed sheet's or clothes? I dont think its a leggett for thatching they are angled and have iron spikes in them.

 

[robin wood]

narr they were made in this country, and came with a cottage attached, and were made by a Mr Dower i recon, as he lived/died their during that time. just literaly 1/4 mile away are some working stables on the next farm that also has been there since circa 1680 so at a guess there something to do with horse stuff, but what exactly i do not know. they may have been done with some scandi influence though, so good replys cheers

If thats the case Mr Dower had been to Scandinavia or I'll eat my hat.

Typical blue and red soft linseed oil paints worn through on the highlights, chip carving, stylised horses, it all says Scandinavia to me. Was there any old paint, any chip carving or any horse detail on any of the fixtures in the cottage, beams, doors, cupboards etc?

Can't help with what they are for though. More pictures? is the underside smooth as if it was used for smoothing something? Any metal or all wood.

 

[Wayland]

That'll be two servings of hat then.

If they're not Scandinavian they are definitely inspired by Scandinavian folk art.

I wish I could find a reference for you but the folk museum in Oslo is full of the things and so are a lot of the antique shops.

 

[StJon]

I must agree with Wayland, studied in Oslo at the art school, and visited the folk Museum once a week and saw lots of similar examples.
jon

 

[cakey]

great replies again, they are flat on the underside and smooth worn too, no pics as yet of the underside although i can get some as soon as the weather gets better. i thought maybe they were for scooping manure offa the road but seem a little opulant for that, they are quite heavy too/or im a little weak but the reasoning on the thatching was if you grip them as intended i spose you could use them to knock the thatch tight?
i can see the scandi influance in the horses them selves but im not 100% convinced they are from there.
thanks again chaps, keep em coming

EDIT* there was no other carving and the likes in there, exept a chest of drawers but thats from a much earlyer date

 

[Wayland]

Seems to me you want someone to confirm your own theory or create a provenance that links them to your cottage for some reason.

Is there something you're not telling us?


Postscript.

I've found an example although not as typical as yours. It's a mangle board, sometimes called a smoothing board.

Try this link. http://www.rubylane.com/shops/sweetpeacottage/item/AntCMB-297

 

[StJon]

I hope you didn't eat said chapeau, i know I'm wearing mine ; )
jon

 

[MikeDB]

I'd agree either Norwegian or at the very least influenced by.

Another link for the mangle board

http://http://sherpe.com/carving/index.html

Mike

 

[cakey]

I've found an example although not as typical as yours. It's a mangle board, sometimes called a smoothing board.

Try this link. http://www.rubylane.com/shops/sweetpeacottage/item/AntCMB-297

w00t! looks like we have a winner! thank you so much Wayland i gota say its puzzled me for 2 yrs as to what they were, but the pics on that site are pretty darn close to the ones i have, so must be exactly that. and yes i would have liked them to be what i suggested eg; horse stuff but only coz i was convinced it was due to the horse carvings.

but thanks for the great info fellas, cheers.

 

[robin wood]

Well done on the mangle board photos, I love the dovetail fixing horse to board on Waylands one. Interesting that everyone thinks Norway I thought most Norwegian stuff of this age was decorated with rosemaling like this.

Whereas Swedish work is more often chip carved and one plain colour.

Whilst I was rummaging through my Norwa/Sweden museum pictures I spotted Wayland look.

 

[Wayland]

He is indeed the inspiration for my avatar. Well spotted.

I needed something historical, mythological and Norse but kid friendly.

So with slight adaptation, that figurehead from Osberg became my Odin logo.

 

[AndrewCampbell]

They look like antique pieces which I have seen at museums before. I am not quite sure what their purpose is but it would definitely be very interesting to find out especially if they are indeed from medieval period.