For all of you smartypantses who informed me that you could read the answers by running your mouse over the images I say “HA”.
It didn’t do you much good, because in at least one case I was … wrong.
As for the rest, fine work.
If a bit strange …
A smattering.
From Montana
The fabulous Glenn Godward of Park Place Tavern in Livingston, Montana gave me this.
“Here’s an Interesting Found Object for you.” he said.
4 1/8 inches long.
Passive.
Guesses:
1. Sausage grip. Not THAT sausage … for slicing salamis.
2. Making little vent holes in your cigar similar to the ones on Parliament filters. For a smooth light pull.
3. A cigar trimmer.
4. A lemon rind grater for martinis.
5. A male chastity devise ? An early S&M experiment ?
6. A circumciser. Got a lot of those type answers …
7. Cuts off the heads of mice.
Anyone would know that who’s seen the movie Masters of the Flying Guillotine.
In copy-of-a-copy (of a copy-of-a-copy) style, Kung Fu turns a passive hat (connected to a long string) into a skillful weapon for carrying out assassinations.
Fling the hat onto a man’s head (no problem for Kung Fu), pull the string and shark-teeth blades whip out from somewhere in the headband.
Voila, the head rolls.
The Scissor Mouse-Head Decapitator is the smaller version.
Don’t know how you’d actually get a mouse to stick it’s head in that thing.
Ah, maybe in conjunction with those feet-stuck-to-the-floor traps.
Anyway, am I close?
Sort of.
My guess – of which I was terribly certain – was that it was a device to cut the foil off of wine bottles.
Which is does.
But it’s not.
Answer:
Four smart people with high cholesterol got it.
A device for cutting off the tops of soft boiled eggs.
Active.
From Montana
Cellulose plastic and metal
5 7/8 inches long.
Passive.
Guesses:
Pretty much everybody who guessed got it.
Answer:
My favorite was from a friend who’s grandmother had a beauty salon in a little town in Texas in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
She used them for making finger waves in ladies hair.
Active.
From Maryland
A dear friend gave this to me years ago.
I loved it and asked “What is it?”
“Yes!” she replied.
Many thanks to another great friend, Fritz Karch – World Class Collecter – for solving the mystery.
4 3/8 inches long.
Passive.
Guesses:
1. Condiment or sugar tongs?
Not too appetizing with the hairy knuckle close up, but I’ll get my appetite back eventually.
2. For removing an egg from boiling water.
3. Ice tongs for cocktails. I have a similar one in silver.
4. A gynecological device. Not particularly (gyneco) logical.
Answer:
A device for getting olives out of a jar.
Which is odd because it is made of brass and painted red like its a tool.
And it makes a very weird sound.
Not very foodish.
Active.
