15 Unusual Objects That Might Teach You a History Lesson

People have been making unique tools, jewelry, and other items for a long time, and we’ve forgotten their function as time has passed. We’ve stopped using those things and don’t remember their purpose, how old they are, how they were created, and other things about their general existence.

5-Minute Crafts has created a list of strange objects that might remind you of the past.

1. “A ring with 2 handles and 2 rails — a possible kitchen pot accessory?”

• “I think it’s an old casserole cradle.” © brock_lee / Reddit

2. “Found it in the attic of my old house. I’m guessing it’s some kind of grinder or incense burner, or both maybe?”

• “It’s an elephant bell.” © lwpho2 / Reddit

3. “Found this in an old toolbox. You can turn the top to raise and lower the middle cutting wheel. The end is sharp like a punch.”

• “It’s for cutting tubing, like copper or stainless.” © KingArfer / Reddit

4. “My work has several of these antique extinguishers in our boiler/storage room.”

• “Those usually had carbon tetrachloride in them. Effective for fighting fires, but don’t stick around for the fumes.” © dr_xenon / Reddit
  

5. “Found this in an old barn in Ohio. It’s wooden, about 4 feet long, and has a weird curved piece on top with a hole on top.”

• “It’s a piece of furniture inspired by an old wooden jointer plane. It doesn’t have a function beyond storage. This style was popular, along with reproduction cobbler benches, as coffee tables.” © Tight_Ferret_4130 / Reddit

6. “Old item — has a solid wood case with glass sides, toggle switches with jewel lights, dials, filled with Atwater Kent radio components.”

• “Almost seems like it might have been the interface for a home intercom system or possibly an early form of a home entertainment setup. Each room would have its own speaker that is turned on with the toggles. So it would tune in on a radio station and be able to hear it anywhere in the house.” © MiksBricks / Reddit

7. “An old wooden handheld item with multiple metal prongs that aren’t very sharp”

• “I think they may be right about a steak tenderizer, my grandmother had one pretty similar, and I’ve found one online that’s a bit of a dead ringer!” © plantchette / Reddit

8. “Small tools in a wooden box, around 60 years old”

• “Those are telescoping gauges used to measure the size of a hole. They are measured with an external micrometer after being pulled through a hole. I’ve been a machinist for 10 years, use them almost daily.” © Technical-Silver9479 / Reddit

9. “An antique cast iron self-closing hook. Is it a hay grapple, an ice hook, a pallet puller, or something else?”

• “Antique cast iron beam/log tongs, 1870 A.J. Nellis & Co. Pittsburg, PA” © mattyboy571 / Reddit

10. “An antique brass object on a chain that opens in the middle”

• “It’s a whale oil lamp, I think.” © Mela777 / Reddit

11. “A metal object from an antiquity sale was in the Asian section, 4.5 cm long, backside without script, the seller said its hieroglyphs.”

• “It’s Chinese spade money.” © SlippingAbout / Reddit

12. “Inherited this lamp from my mother-in-law. Any info on it? It’s very heavy.”

• “It appears to be a 1910-1920s slag glass lamp. I don’t think it’s a reproduction, but someone else may know more about these types of lamps.” © possumhicks / Reddit

13. “Found in an unfinished basement of an old home. Looks like a coin but it’s hollow and opens up.”

• “Possibly was a coin lighter, but now it’s missing some parts.” dont_say_choozday / Reddit

14. “An antique wooden press or clamp for some purpose?”

• “It’s a beekeeping foundation fastener.” © jackrats / Reddit

15. “I found this metal object, no text or numbers, and can retract to be the size of a bracelet.”

• “It’s the top (closure part) of a purse or small handbag.” © sjhill / Reddit

Have you ever come across an antique object? Tell us in the comments what it was.