What is it? CCXVIII

[R.H.]

One clue for this set, the patent date marked on the first object is incorrect.

[kfvorwerk]

1216. I think it's a film can to take the movie to the theater. Karl

[Alexander Thesoso]

1215 Apologies... Clearly this is a jack for lifting tuckers.

1216 This is a movie film can. While, at the start of a movie run, the projectionist has to schlep the cans up to the projection booth, when the movie run is over, and the film is to be returned, it is not that rare that the cans manage to roll down the stairs. The cans are made rugged, and fire-proof.

[Carl Byrns]

1219: It's a trolling plane for deep water fishing.

-Carl

[Bill Rider]

I think you spoke too soon, young felly!

[RicodJour]

1215. Specific purpose was to sell it and make money for the company. ;) 1216. Cannister for film reels. 1217. Clapboard slick. 1218. Possibly a paint pot. 1219. No idea. Looks like a lens setup, but I don't think lens optics have anything to do with it. 1220. Probably double-ended pliers for stretching canvases for painting. R

[Bill Rider]

1220 looks good for carrying a hot iron object, perhaps up to 1/4" thick, at a shop or construction site. Pinching it at two places would help keep it from working loose.

[Ted Schuerzinger]

holding reels of film.

[Dogstar]

1215 It is a "thucker jack", used to thange the thires on thmall thucks. 1216 Carrying case for replacement stop signs for Disneyland's Autopia. 1217 It is a "Captain Kangaroo Wacky Whirler" c. 1960s. This toy is no longer sold. Reported to be second in injuries only to "Lawn Darts". 1218 Inuit anti-termite smoke generator. The smoke was used to stop termite infestations of igloos. Apparently they worked very well. 1219 Contraceptive device. 1220 Non-tangling jumper cables.

-- Dogstar

[beecrofter]

1218 looks like an ink pot, possibly from prewar Japan.

[Andrew Erickson]

1215 -- Hmmm...the only Tucker I can think of offhand was the ill-fated car manufacturer, but this doesn't look to date from that era. Maybe something railroad related? 1216 -- This case might be just the right size and shape to hold a few reels of movie film, presumably for carrying around to various theaters (or as part of a traveling theater). 1217 -- This could be a slick for removing bark from logs and similar tasks--essentially a large chisel for rough work. 1218 -- In the old Infocom "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" text adventure game, there's an object that is called "The thing your aunt gave you that you don't know what it is." I think this may be one of those. 1219 -- This looks like a lens mounted to be used in optical demonstrations, but the lens-shaped part does not appear to be very refractive at all. Maybe it can somehow be filled with various liquids to demonstrate their optical properties? 1220 -- Detachable handle for some thin product, such as sheet metal plates. It seems the hinge pivots would want to tend to get out of alignment and could cause no end of annoyance if they aren't well made.

Now to see other ideas...

[DoN. Nichols]

1215) Hmm ... looks to me like a workpiece leveling jack used by machinists for stabilizing a workpiece mounted on a planer table -- or perhaps also sometimes on one of the larger shapers. 1216) Transport case for a movie in multiple reels. Looks like about a three-reel case if it is 35mm, which it would be in the 1930s. 1217) Hmm ... for cleaning clinkers from the firebox of a steam locomotive? 1218) Perhaps for shooting fire at something?

If the handle were open at the other end, I would consider it as possibly being for smoking something -- perhaps illegal. :-)

1219) Looks like a way of making a lens from two watch crystals filled with water (or some other transparent liquid).

It might be for determining the index of refraction of different liquids by measuring the focal length produced and comparing it to water and other known liquids?

1220) Looks like something for picking up sheet metal by the edge and carrying it while a single hand gripping both curved handles holds both sets of pliers clamped tight onto the metal.

Now to see what others have guessed.

Enjoy, DoN.

[<wstiefer]

Hey! I got on of those in the heap outback.

[Unknown]

like this to reach down through the floor to switch to a different track. This allowed the driver to change the switch without getting out of the car.

[Jeff R.]

Hehehe Ever tried putting a match to steel wool?

-- Jeff R.

[Bill Rider]

The fine stuff burns. What was found in the bowl was described as steel wool. If it was in there when there was fire in the bowl, I guess it didn't burn.

[RicodJour]

The dried black ink would look exactly like soot and would scrape off the same way. You can tell the difference by adding a little water to the residue and rubbing it between your fingers.

R

[Bill Rider]

A Japanese soldier probably left it in the Aleutians.

The group in possession of it seems to be tipplers. When they break a glass, they call the shards art.

After a year, a couple of them decided it was a whale-oil lamp. To demonstrate, they used a plumber's pipe cap as a small metal bowl, stuffed in some hairs from a beard, added gas-line de-icer (presumably methanol), lit it, and stared at the nearly invisible flame as they continued to drink.

I'll bet the wad in the artifact isn't steel wool.

[R.H.]

That's a good bet, in his last email he said that upon closer inspection the steel wool was actually hair, and he also says that what looked like soot must be old india ink carbon.

Rob

[spaco]

1220 is a pair of plow share tongs. They hold both ends of the share at the same time. I have a pair that are almost identical. They make the share (shear) much easier to hold under the power hammer when sharpening.

Pete Stanaitis

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R.H. wrote: