Antique Brass Lion-Mask Cuspidor with Ring Handles

A heavy cast and spun brass cuspidor of classic baluster form, with a broad flared rim above a tapered neck, a domed shoulder, and a rounded lower body on a stepped foot. Four applied lion-mask mounts are spaced around the shoulder, each with a loose suspended ring through the lion's mouth — a decorative flourish more often associated with hotel lobbies, gentleman's clubs, and saloon interiors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries than with utilitarian examples. Construction is unmarked, in two main sections joined at the waist, with the upper funnel seated into the lower bowl.

The form descends from a long lineage of spittoons produced in cast brass for public houses, railway cars, and grand hotels through the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Lion-mask ring handles — a motif borrowed from neoclassical urns and sarcophagi — elevate the object from purely functional to ornamental, and pieces of this scale and weight were typically commissioned for higher-end commercial interiors.

CONDITION

Good overall with warm aged patina throughout. Scattered oxidation spotting and verdigris, particularly to the flared rim and at the seam between the upper and lower sections. A vertical split runs through the rolled flange of the lower body in at least one location, with a second area of separation along the same seam (see supplemental images). Light denting and finish wear consistent with age and use.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall: 11.5" H × 10.5" Diameter
• Weight: 6 lbs 10 oz
• Construction: Brass, two-part construction
• Marks: Unmarked
• Decorative Mounts: Four applied lion-mask ring handles
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale — Not Included