Curious

 Old industrial drain soap dish found on Pinterest-I apologize I was unable to track the original source.

 Mystery soap dish side no.1

with soap,it's perfect.....

Mystery soap dish side no. 2

it's an awesome soap dish....

Okay, I admit it, I go to Pinterest and browse the soap dishes- yep it's true. There are oodles of soap dishes on Pinterest, most of them what I would consider "ornamental." You know very pretty, but not so practical. You see, I have rather strict criteria for what makes a practical soap dish. Aficionado's of handmade soap know that DRAINAGE is key to longer lasting soap-right? Sadly, it seems to me, that most soap dishes are not created with this in mind. Now, I suppose if your goal is to simply keep soap within reach and residue off the counter, your average decorative soap dish is perfectly suited,but no holes=no drainage(gasp!) With this in mind, I am always on the look out for unusual, practical and even better re-purposed items that would make the perfect soap dish-thus the old commercial drain in all it's patina'd rustic industrial beauty. I also love that it is somewhat weighty, not breakable(although it might break your toe if you were to accidentally drop it in the shower.) There are holes for drainage-lots of drainage, it's symmetrical,architectural,rustic and perfectly practical, aaaand it reminded my of this mystery item I have that I'm convinced is the perfect soap dish. I snagged this item from a friend several years ago just as my love of soap was blossoming-I immediately recognized it's potential. Anyway, the question here is what is it really? Any ideas? In my mind,  there is not doubt it belongs on a bathroom counter holding a beautiful handmade soap-it's future is secure, but I am curious as to what it was in it's previous life. Was it a floral frog, a spacer, farm implement??? Any ideas???