Refurbished late 19th century cast iron drip pan for umbrella stand or hall tree. The rectangular shape with cut corners, ribbed lip, and ribbed bands bisecting crosswise and lengthwise reflect early American Craftsman style; while the curvy floral motifs in each corner reflect Art Nouveau. The two styles were popular at the same time, circa 1890 through the 1910s.

Molten iron was hand poured into the mold through two slits, which left raised lines (gate marks) on the bottom of the pan. This technique was used from the mid-1700s to around 1890, consistent with the design elements. The foundry's initials span the inside bottom: S.F. CO. CIN. O. (S.F. Company, Cincinnati, Ohio). There were hundreds of ironworks of all sizes in Cincinnati at the time, and I couldn't determine what S.F. stands for.

The pan is slightly tapered. The largest dimension is 5-3/4" x 4-3/4", so if your are going to insert this into a stand base, the hole cannot be smaller than this. The hole also cannot be larger than the lip edge, which is 7-3/8" x 6-7/16". Overall height is 1-5/8", including the thickness of the lip, which is almost 3/16". There are two small holes for securing the pan to the base -- more to keep it from rattling around than holding it down, as it is heavy enough to stay put.

The pan was encrusted with dirt and extremely rusty when acquired, and it was difficult to read the foundry information or see the flowers. It has been cleaned, sanded, and coated with glossy black rust-proofing paint to restore it close to its original state.