Antique Wrought Iron Butcher Tasting Spoon with Rat Tail Southeastern Pennsylvania

Description:  A beautiful antique handmade taster. The taster is completely made of wrought iron and is all made of one piece of metal. The handle ends with a rat tail pattern. The entire handle is flat and is wider at the top and narrower at the juncture where the bowl is. The bowl is shaped from the same piece of metal as the handle and is almost round in shape with a deep center. The piece has a thin hooked hanger sometime referred to as "Rat Tail" hanger. Both the handle and the bowl are hammered from one piece of iron. This is a great looking antique which would make a great addition to any collection. Please view photos as they are part and parcel of our description.

Date: Early to mid 1800's.

Origin: Southeastern Pennsylvania

Size: The taster measures 10 1/8" long, while the bowl is 2" by 1 13/16". The piece weighs about 2 ounces.

Maker: Unknown.

Marks: None.

Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: This is a nicely done wrought iron taster that is very old and has gotten a lot of use over the years. It would be a great addition to any collection.

Condition:  Taster is in very good condition with no cracks, breaks or repairs. The piece has considerable ware especially at the bowl. The bowl shows signs of losses at the rim (see photos). In addition, the iron handle shows some pitting and some defects which happened in the making. Be that as it may, the piece is solid and beautiful and really looks good after being around for almost 200 years.