Late 19th Century Cast Iron Butcher's Rack Crest - Cow Motif

Details

Description

c. 1880s-1910s; (likely) Bernard Gloekler Co. - Pittsburgh, PA

Cast iron butcher's rack crest in the form of a standing … Read more c. 1880s-1910s; (likely) Bernard Gloekler Co. - Pittsburgh, PA

Cast iron butcher's rack crest in the form of a standing cow, originally designed to mount at the top of a butcher's rack or meat display stand. Molded with simple but weighty detail, the figure exhibits a flat back with casting voids and a central mounting socket below the base rail. The surface retains a timeworn patina of oxidation and darkened metal, consistent with early 20th-century trade fixtures used in butcher shops and meat markets.

Butcher's racks were popular fixtures in American markets and general stores during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with decorative crests often cast in motifs of livestock to reflect the trade. Pieces such as these are highly sought after by butcher shop collector's and antique collector's in general as they were often the first embellishment to be damaged or lost. See less