Weird trivet? Can anybody ID this?

[Spurgeon Hendrick]

Here is that weird trivet (I guess that’s what it is.) I picked up at an estate sale a few weeks ago. It looks like it used to have some writing on it and maybe a number (355?). That ring was badly crusted with rust, so whatever was there is mostly gone now. Has anybody seen one of these before? I wonder if it some kind of “part” (for a machine or something) and not really a trivet.

I tried taking pictures from several angles, but you still probably can’t see the letters. Even tried playing with the contrast settings. Nothing helped bring out the letters.

[Herman Gagne]

Have you tried rubbing a white  chalk over the lettering, see if it helps any; or sprinkle some white powder then wipe the excess lightly; you never know. By the way, what are the dimensions?

[Larry Pesek]

I'm seeing a number 8 on the edge of the circle. Have no idea, but it sure is interesting. :-/

[Spurgeon Hendrick]

I tried doing the white powder thing (great idea!) but no luck.

It measures about 4 1/8 inches, square.

Here are some pictures after a couple of rounds of PAM. Looks like it has an “L”, or maybe a “1” on the bottom of the ring.

If I squint my eyes, it looks like it says, “Blacklock Foundry, Inaugural Casting, You Are Holding The Original, Very First, Casting Made at the Blacklock Foundry in South Pittsburg, TN” ... but that might just be my imagination. ;)

[Valerie Johnson]

Does it have those pointy legs on both sides, Looks more like some type of grate than a trivet, When I think trivet I think of an item used to lift an item off a surface you want to protect or a surface that you want to protect the item from.

[Russell Ware]

I think this auction link will help out:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-TECO-SQUARE-CAST-IRON-TRIVET-1855-U-S-PATENT-NO-2290/263588173845?hash=item3d5f145815:g:L94AAOSw2cVauRIo:rk:38:pf:0

ANTIQUE TECO SQUARE CAST IRON TRIVET 1855 U.S. PATENT NO. 2290

[Spurgeon Hendrick]

Russell, wow! How did you find that? That is exactly like the one I have.

Valerie, it does have pointy legs on both sides. And you’re right, it doesn’t look like any trivet I’ve seen.