Posted 13 years ago
fruitbats
(2 items)
Can anyone help identify this strange item? (Photos will appear if you click on the blanks.)
He is made of cast iron and pivots from his feet to give a pecking action. Plinth is nearly 10cm long. There is a tiny fork (steel) protruding from his beak. He pecks through the opening and right down to the bottom of a trough inside, his 'fork' goes through a hole in the bottom of the trough.
Update: Thanks to information received here, it seems clear that he is a woodpecker toothpick (perhaps, maybe, or) match holder. I'd really like to know where an when it came from now. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Dave
I believe it is a toothpick holder. The toothpicks are stored in the top and the bird dips in and picks one up. I think I remember seeing these at the counters in restaurants when I was a little kid.
Thanks Jan, we were beginning to think that or matches.
Hi.
Thanks for the link, another version - interesting to see that it was such a popular design!
Would really like to know when and where it came from - I'm suspecting America, but any further info would be very welcome.
I just saw one at en estate sale this morning...they had toothpicks in it!
yep that's what it is for toothpicks it pecks down and brings a toothpick up with it I had a few of these before