Search This Blog

Followers

Saturday, September 29, 2018

An ancient water pump

Sometimes, Lady Fortuna is very, very kind to me, and presents me with 'gifts' that are truly out of the ordinary. Last Friday was one of those days, as I came across this incredible water pump which, of course, I had to have the second I saw it!

The water pump, measuring 11 x 7,5 x 14 cm, or 4,3 x 2,9 x 5,5 inch.

The water pump is probably a century old, made in Germany, and exquisite in every detail. Unfortunately it does not work, although the lever at the back does move as it should. There is a loose part inside the shaft, which rattles when I shake it a bit, but the only way to access it would require dismantling the pump, which of course I won't do! Hence, I'll leave it as it is!

The dolphin on top of the water spout adds a delicate detail to it, lifting the entire water pump to a higher level of beauty.
The water spout has a dolphin sitting on top of it, modeled in an ancient fashion, very similar to those found in classical, European gardens, Medieval artwork and geographical maps. Below is an image of two Roman dolphin statues showing a striking resemblance to the little fellow on the water spout.

Roman dolphin statues in Florence, Italy.
Overall, it's beautifully weathered and rusted, as you can see in detail on the images below; a gem to treasure and cherish! I consider myself very lucky, and although its price was a bit steep, I think it's totally worth it!

The water basin is beautifully rusted.



The weathering is phenomenal, and all natural!




Thanks for visiting, and see you next time!

© José Pereira Torrejón. All rights reserved. No part of the content of this blog may be distributed, published or reproduced without prior authorization from the author. The Roman dolphin statue image is an edited sample of the original picture by FantomeAngel.

4 comments:

  1. Indeed it is a beauty José. Never seen anything like it. A unique piece added to your wonderful collection. This had your name written on it, so it had to be yours. Love it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, thank you, Rebecca!!! I'm very happy with the water pump, she does indeed 'fit' perfectly in my collection :)

      Delete
  2. The rust and wear on the dolphin water pump is Priceless, and it was a very good investment indeed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally agree with you, Liz, it hurt my pocket but then again, I have a beautiful item added to my collection in return! :)

      Delete