I got this at an auction a few months ago. No clue as to what it is, I just thought it was kinda cool. Measures 13 plus inches by 5 inches high.
I'd like to think whatever it is was used in the upright position with the wings left and right. The bolts to secure it were in shear, not tension. There not enough material for that to be used as a step. It would bend.
It has an art deco look to it. I’m thinking along the lines of maybe trim on an old railway passenger car or bus or maybe a trolley car. It looks like the area where the screws/bolts went was covered by maybe another panel or trim. Heck it could even be from an elevator or something like that. Then again, I could easily be wrong about all that.
I don't know what it is, but with those dimensions and some fabrication it wood make a cool license place surround.
What does the back side look like? Could we be looking at what was the back side of the part? Then it could be a grille guard. Is it cast iron, or some other kind of metal, like poured lead or aluminum or forged steel?
Man...guesses all over the place. I tried but can't get a pic of the back to upload. It isn't as detailed as the front shown. Seems to be cast iron chromed.
Brain food. I did an image search, vintage art deco wood stove and vintage art deco gas stove. Examples of things to look at. However, what kind of auction and what else was there? Unless we all wanna play Clue...
I did a Google search too and came up with nothing. Probably not a car part at this point but an interesting piece. Most iron parlor stoves were Victorian and a few later but this does look Deco. Just a shot in the dark. Nothing else near it at the auction.
Use it as a grille guard on a 30s car, outward curve towards the front (what you are calling the back side of it). Bolt the bottom ends, with the existing holes, to the front bumper. Don't ever test it, the cast iron will probably break. It could look pretty cool until it broke though...
This is kinda what I had in mind for a motorcycle seat but I see the mount wouldn't work on a bike. Gary