Posted 13 years ago
Allie
(1 item)
What is It? What is it used for.
I found this great little cast iron fish, but I have no idea what it is.
It is small and has some writing on one side. I think it says PATD & a date. Its too worn to read. It has a white ribbed ring on it. Possibly to make a pattern on something. This material is hard almost like a ceramic.
The item weighs about 1 ounce and is 2 inches long and 1 1/4 inches high.
Has a large ring on the top too so it can hang on something. I would appreciate any ideas.
Thanks
Allison
I bet the white material is actually a replaceable elastic band, it has hardened.
I'm thinking this was some sort of a towel or rag holder, maybe for fabric or paper? I dunno for sure, bit looks to me like a rod or something went through the hole and the 'tail' was like a 'release' point. By pressing it the towel/rag/paper is let go. The 'fish' is decorative.
Not sure,and this is a long shot...(no pun intended) but to me it looks like an old gun safety/cock??? especially considering the size,and depending on what the white "grip strip" is made of.could it be bone or antler? Im picturing it on an old black powder type pistol.IDK,just a guess. Let us know if you ever find out for sure.
Thanks for all the ideas, Keep them coming. I am looking into all of them.
I looked at the white band with my loupe it had some cracks and splits. Looks more like an old elastic, not bone or horn.
Thanks again for the help.
I'm thinking it is a piece off a tool like an old table saw or planer which would hold the wood in place while you moved it through the mechanism ~ kinda like a sail line slip cleat on a sailboat, y'know? The beveled hole hints at the likelihood that it screwed down onto another part.
It is pretty cool by itself....the wifey would love it!
A pie shell crimper??
Looks like it could have been used to scrap scales from a fish ?
My best guess on this one would be for counting paper money. At one time the rubber would have been far more pliable and... sticky. Place your index finger through the hole, with the rubber side down and start paging through the bills or whatever other piles of paper you need to sort or count.
I have 3 of these,they are window sash locks,the rubber keeps them tight,I scraped tons of paint off of mine to find out they were fish.I have never seen any others till now!
Wow gargoyle, two years and we get a definitive answer. Could you post a picture showing how they work?
HA!!!!!!!I just saw this today on Facebook!I usually don't look through the Unsolved mysteries,Yes I suppose I can take some pic's.
Great solve Gargoyle never would have thought of that !!!!!!! Kudo's to you for your fine dectective work . Very ornate window closures . Do you live in a mansion :-
lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NO!!!!!!!Just unique.
aww come on gargoyle admit it your in a fancy Victorian mansion :-) I just have plain old closures nothing so creative . Rich mans house has these :-)))))