What is This Thing? 15.4.09

Er, it's Wednesday, not Friday. Very confusing....

Is it supposed to have a ball on a piece of string attached? The idea being that you swing the ball up and catch it in the cup.

Al

That was my initial thought, but if you look closer, you Will see the cup is the wrong way round....

Is it for scooping up a measure of something ? Gunpowder/grenade filling thingumy. Oh, gawd,,,give up.

The suspese is killing me - or is it the prospect of what this might turn out to be ?

Baahh

Definitely the suspense.

Classic episode of Monkey ; The intrepid band meet some old codger, who's laboured all his life in digging a tunnel. To thank him for hospitality, Monkey uses his monkey-magic to finish the tunnel while the old man sleeps. In the morning, the old codger goes crazy at him, "What the **** am I going to do with the rest of my life ?"

Monkey-see, monkey-do

Yeah ;

Kris,

This is the right-handed version, the one shown is left-handed.

Very nice drawing!

You clever bugger....

I don't believe it! Sooooo close, you gotta have a good answer.

(That hurts, that really hurts)

some kind of detonator or fuse firing arrangement?

Looks like a blank attachment for a rifle.

It looks as though it is made of wood, and has some decorative features. OK: an East Anglian plant pot holder?

It is a mold for casting decorative candles. The hook is for tying the wig.

Of course!

Rocket powered duck boards (for walking across mud flats) for a one legged man.
Am I close?
Del

Corrective action paddle? Like the kind teacher used to use when we were bad.

Near enough, you where just a bit closer then Kris!

It is an early European grenade launcher.

Spook properly, as I cannot understand what you are spraying.

Care to provide a picture of how it's used? Is one available?






Inquiriing minds want to know!!

I haven't found one yet....

No one survived to document it

Uh ? The diagram I found not good enough

If you keep an eye out, you may be able to get your hand on one and experiment !

There's a later model (tinned metal case) to be had, but it's maybe a bit pricey for testing. You could try contacting Gustav, down the bottom of this link. Again, it's a 1915 model, so might not be quite the ticket.

Meantime, you could play with this

Hmmm, interesting device....

Because the "cup" is pointing the same direction as the handle probably means that whatever is inserted into the cup must not be very long, or else the user will have problems holding both items. Another way around this issue is that the inserted item has a bend in it. This could be used to withdraw rods that have been placed into a fire for heat treatment.

Otherwise, I'd say it would make a good nogginknocker.

Because it's still unknown what the thing is, whatever looks like a handle may not be a handle at all, it's in the range of assumptions yet - It's like a vicious cycle - in order to know what the artifact is, you have to know what the parts are for, and to know what the parts are for, you have to know what the whole assembly is for...

Well, I just thought of one other thing that could go into the mysterious cup - the user's finger. I won't speculate on which one.....

It must then be a night cap for that finger.

You have, obviously, not recognized the shape of this painter's helper.

You tape a paint brush onto the form, and stick a broom handle into the receptacle to reach the higher spots, without needing a ladder.

In was thinking along that line... insert pole handle, and used for scraper for

Chimney Residue?

Septic Tank / Sewer Line?

Removal of Swallow Nests?

Hello,

I think it is a paddle for squaring patties of butter fresh from a churn. The casting is an 'add-on' to add weight and reduce the time to do the job.

Early fragmentation grenade, or Claymore?

We have heard the story that they are looking to speed up the table tennis competition for the next Olympics. Instead of the white bouncing ball, they will use a small grenade. This is likely a promo shot of the new bat and ball.

Or it just could be a booby trap to protect the butter vat. Lying inconspicuously upside down on the contents, with a string tied to the ringpull, running through that small hole at the bottom end to a safe distance and just lie in wait for those nasty butter thieves.

Cigar holder? Flower arranger? Tooth brush holder? Ancient mouse trap?

Is it for lipstick or makeup? Is there a mirror on the other side?

A weaving shuttle?

Regards JD

training weights for the nuns' teaching 7th grade

Cheapskate wall hanged ashtray?

or wait is it used as a cheap centrifuge?

A persuasion tool with the other end of the nail doing the trick.

The round thing is just for increasing the weight and effectiveness.

"...A persuasion tool..." - is applicable to anything from a shoe-lace to an elephant trunk and everything in between

To find out what is this ^{_{Victorian steam-cooker}}, follow the crumb-trail, and type "thing" in photo-google.

"Whatever you do, don't ever type "Yahoo" in google" - John Cleese

Holds chaulk

It's a paddle to spank bad people :~)

I was thinking masochistic equipment until I realized you guys solved it already! Gotta get on sooner to have a chance.

OK, Next...

I GIVE UP!

See #37

Humphries was a hoot. Him and Slocombe (changing outrages hair colours like the baboon buffoon she really was) were the most popular here. Keep in mind that "Being Served" was shown here some thirty years ago, one episode at a time, once aweek. Being able to remember this or that from a foreign show so long ago tells you just how funny it was perceived here, and lots of people wish it would be re-run once more.

Come to think of it I think it was, in the late eighties

Would you say Ausie Dame Edna was based on Miss Slocombe ?

BTW, Coupling is shown here for the last few years, and it's very popular

It is a flare/granade thrower. Have fun with Ferkluphin machine, Oly