interesting and hard to find turn of the century cast iron calling card tray or dish with female figure in high relief. the slightly recessed dish depicts a female figure in a victorian-era bathing suit and head ornament, holding a scepter or wand, and surrounded by a design suggesting folds or cracks in the background which she is bursting through. the tray features detailed textures and unusual design. at the top of the dish an elf-like creature peeks over the edge, and at the lower, the woman's foot extends past the braided border of the dish. the bottom of the tray is marked with embossed lettering in a circle, "dep.", likely an abbreviated mark for "depose", a french word c. 1900 indicating it is 'registered'. also on the bottom a mold number is stamped "5501". the dish would most likely have held calling cards, which were smaller than contemporary business cards and would simply have the name of the person coming to call, or visit, on them. they were sometimes ornate and other times simple card stock with script writing naming the visitor. measures 6 1/2 inches across x 1/2 inch high.