Posted 4 years ago
JulieC.
(1 item)
bought this yrs ago. No clue what it is, thought it was unique. Has anyone seen one of these before and know what it is?
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If it's not a hat pin of some kind, it might be a finial, and a place to hang your keys, just a thought! :^D It's cool looking though, Good Luck! :^)
It makes me think of fancy tongs for picking up some kind of food but I can’t imagine why the “pick” part is necessary.
Are the side sections flexible like tongs would be?
Is the “ice pick” looking section stationery?
Maybe in an ultra fancy setting, some ultra elite person attending a soirée could jab at an ice block to chip off some ice for themselves, then pick it up, ever-so-gracefully, by the tongs.
Another thought: those tiny inward facing “barbs” on the tips of the “tongs” are probably meant to grip something.
I’m trying (with little success) to think of some fruit which could be held securely by the barbs while the pointed part is employed to push the pit out.....such as a cherry...but would it be strong enough??
Interesting Patricia, it's hard to tell because of no size, but might be for holding a sausage, or pickle, something like that! Hmmm! :^D Got to check for that! :^)
I added a pic next to a ruler, to give idea of size.
Thx everyone for helping me out with this.
JulieC, thanks for the measurement.
Can the “ice pick” looking part be removed from the “tong” looking part? Such as, does it seem like it was meant to be taken out and put back in?
If so, I’m leaning toward it being an ice pick and tong set - perhaps part of a fancy bar set.
Not sure why the “key” motif, unless just because folks kept their fancy expensive libations under lock and key lest they “evaporate” when no one is around. ;-)
The 4" long silver needle is not really strong enough to pick ice, at only 1/16" thick, maybe 3/16" would work! :^)
The pick is not removeable.
The pick could be used to put an Olive in a Martini?? Fancy
Stuff
St. Peter Holding The Crossed Keys To Heaven, to start! :^D I don't know what it's for though! :^)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/770570588/crossed-keys-cocktail-fork-55l-rossi?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=crossed+keys&ref=sr_gallery-1-44
Seeing the new info by Billretirecoll, more ideas are rolling around in my head:
Maybe to pick up some tricky piece of food such as a melon ball...spear it, then gently grasp it...a soft food such as melon would slide off the pick and onto your plate once you released the tongs.
I can’t wait to see the “final answer” on this one!
I agree, with Bill’s latest comment, I think we’re getting closer! :)
A clue in Bill’s comment is that the words “Rossi” “Italy” are on the item in the link.
Is your mystery item also marked “Rossi” “Italy”?
That last pic is the only marking I could find..
It also has a mongogram on the front, but at my pic limit.
Thanks Julie, so that's a partial mark for made in Italy. You could take out the enlarged image in photo 2, and add the monogram if you think it might help, but I think it's an Italian Hors d'oeuvre Appetizer utensil, not sure for what though, at least we know what the winged man holding crossed keys over his head, with a crown and cross above is! :^D Some of the ones that I saw said from the 1940's, but your piece is more detailed, and may be an earlier Souvenir from Italy, or the Vatican. I don't think I can help more than this though, a Jeweler, or Cook might be able to! Good Luck! :^)
Thx Bill
Looks like AVER, ok I lied I'm still trying to help! Take Care! :^)
Aver | Definition of Aver at Dictionary.com
http://www.dictionary.com › browse › aver
Aver definition, to assert or affirm with confidence; declare in a positive or peremptory manner.
Sorry JulieC I forgot, "Welcome to CW", a place that we tell about, and learn what we can, about the things that we collect! :^)
Lol, Bill, thanks.... guess my mystery has got ya !
:)
Very interesting discussion
I take it that the wings are flexible ???
I think that the way is which “Aver” is engraved so prominently and beautiful on the piece, that “Aver” is the surname of the owner of the item.
JulieC, I noticed that in the original post, you did not show those two areas of markings. It’s always a good idea to include every detail possible when you are seeking answers.
Sorry, for not including the markings, I tried cleaning up the top area and found them after original post... also the “wings” as you call them, they act as tongs.
I found a puc of others!!... now need to zero in on possibly same one...
Strawberry Huller
Aha. A strawberry huller. It gets rid of the green. Wow.
Do you think that is it, Vetraio?... have I claimed it solved prematurely?
I reckon you’re right. Well done. The Vatican detail is not important to its function. But it does add some caché !!!
In the eBay pictures, it doesn’t mention the pick being removable but I still wonder if it is.
JulieC, will you re-check yours, just for clarification, to see if the pick can be withdrawn?
eBay items say it also a lemon squeezer. The pick would be sensible for holding the lemon steady while being squeezed but to hull a strawberry, I wonder why it would be necessary to pierce the hull (and risk bruising the delicate fruit).
Watchsearcher, on the pic its srlf there is a fatter notch on the underside making it unable to be pulled through... I don’t understand their reference to a lemon squeezer, as the wings/claws do not open far enough to grip one.
Thanks to all who gave input to my mystery!
I wondered about the lemon issue also. Maybe that tad of info was really just conjecture. Or maybe the inventor of the thing thought it would work on lemons....who knows? :^D
It’s kind of like the idea of spiking a strawberry thru it’s one and only “tough” spot so you could then remove that area....an idea on the drawing board that may not have been the greatest in actual use.
Now you’ve got me wanting to test the idea - I have an old ice pick in the utensil drawer somewhere and a strawberry patch....there should be some ripe ones in a couple of weeks for an “edible experiment”.....
What a thought provoking little gadget.. ;-)
Nice! A Strawberry Huller!
https://www.rubylane.com/item/656453-r5320/Lemon-Squeezers-Strawberry-Hullers-6-German
Good Job everyone, and Great Post JulicC! :^)
Patricia, I think the Needle is there to hold the Strawberry Tops, so you can Hull many Strawberries, and not have to deal with the Tops until you're finished, and then just push the Tops off the Needle into the garbage! I love this little Gadget! :^D Thanks Again! :^)
Well, thx again all... with rummage sales starting up, maybe I can find another mystery!
????
Here's one on Worthpoint, with information about it:
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/asprey-sterling-silver-strawberry-238162844
I think your Strawberry Huller would polish up nicely too JulieC! :^)
Maybe switch your title to "What Is It? . . . A Strawberry Huller!" :^)
Interestingly, the one on Worthpoint does separate into 2 separate pieces for cleaning....that makes more sense than the spike being permanently fixed in place.
The Germans had to make it easier to clean, and in Italy, it was just a part that you could lose! :^D
That's the English ones that are removable, the German and Italian ones are not removable pins! :^)
I changed the title and I will need to get some silver cleaner, to do it right.... :)
following the links in this post goes to a forum with info on German patent for a lemon squeezer (but the images in that link no longer exist)
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/176245-antique-silver-skewers-squeezer-what-w
Good one TallCakes, right here on CW the whole time, the photos for the German patent are in the Rubylane Strawberry Huller link above, so patented in 1908, but JulieC's might be a little later, and made in Italy! :^)
One more a little different and missing the pin but same German NRP195614
https://www.etsy.com/il-en/listing/645331331/antique-art-deco-silver-plate-lemon
Just for fun! :^)
Thx Bill