Antique Cast Iron Painted Bottle Opener Perched Parrot
Description: A painted cast iron bottle opener in the form of a parrot perched on a stand. The piece is painted in yellow, red, and black. The piece retains quit a bit of its original coloring but the colors are soiled and have dulled over time. The top of the parrots comb is still a nice red and his eyes are still a nice yellow, other than that the rest of coloring is dull. The parrot is standing on a black stand with his beak wide open. The parrot's beak is the bottle opener. The bird is perched on a stand which serves as the stand to the opener. Please carefully review the photos as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: Early to mid 1900's
Origin: Purchased in an estate sale in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Size: About 5 1/2" high, and the base is ~1 3/4" by ~2 1/4". The piece weighs over 13 1/2 ounces.
Maker: Unknown
Marks: Unmarked Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: Truly a nice old piece, which would make a worthy addition to your collection.
Condition: The bottle opener is in good condition, with no breaks or repairs. It retains quite a bit of its original colors. However, the colors are soiled and have lost their vividness. With the exception of the parrot's comb, the bottom of the chest, and eyes (red and yellow) the rest is soiled and a bit dull. The paint has leathered extensively (if this was glaze on a piece of pottery I would have said it is heavily crazed) and definitely shows age. All these issues are due to the age of the piece but they do not distract from its quality and beauty. The piece also has some losses to the paint especially at the beak and the tips of its comb and throughout the body. These however, are minimal and do not distract from the piece's beauty. The bottom of the piece shows some signs of oxidation and minor rust spots. Be that as it may, this is a nice piece and would make a great addition to your collection. Please see photos for additional condition information.
