Water cooler. Culture: American. Dimensions: 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm). Maker: Possibly Richard Franklin (Polk) Bell (1845-1908). Date: 1870-90.
This highly imaginative water cooler has dolphin handles and a finial in the form of a small boy; similar motifs can be found on other works by the Bell family. The delicate coggled pattern and the applied knobs, or barnacles, give the piece an extraordinary appearance.