What-is-it question CXCXVI

[dognose]

What-is-it question CXCXVI


An English item from 1919, the size shown is approximately correct. It was available in nickel plated, silver plated, or sterling.



What is it?

Trev.

[Bahner]

pencil holder ?

[dognose]

Hi Bahner,

No, not a pencil holder.

Trev.

[needy]

Seen one at work in the usa once made sort of like this item. The tube was split and there was a cap on end. We thought it may have been an internal hole gauge. Would show when a hole dia. was a go or no go quality wise. The only reason why it would be made of sterling maybe it was used in dairy or food industry, not a lot of quality stainless steel in this time period. What gets me was why exact size, also why patented without patent number unless cxcxvi is 110116 patent number or 110-116 dia. hole id. gauge. I don't think we ever truly found use for.

[elenabutov]

Hi Trev. Maybe it is case for penci leads.

[dognose]

Hi,

No, good guesses, but not an internal hole gauge, nor a case for pencil leads.

I'll confess I'm not 100% sure how this device actually works, but all will be revealed when an advertisement for the product will be shown at the end.

(The CXCXVI refers the number of the question. We've been running them for some years.)

Trev.

[silverly]

A couple of wild guesses: a collar buttoner or a scale for some unknown purpose,

[dognose]

Hi Silverly,

No, neither is correct I'm afraid.

Trev.

[silverly]

I've seen something like this that I thought was a tooth pick?

[dognose]

Hi Silverly,

No, not a tooth-pick.

Trev.

[dragonflywink]

Perhaps a pocket cigarette-roller?

~Cheryl

[dognose]

How do you do it Cheryl?........ I just don't know how you do it...............




Trev.

[dragonflywink]

Looks a bit different, but here's a 1918 ad showing how an American version works (U.S. Patent 1,233,048):



~Cheryl

[needy]

Well I guess this answers the exact size question. I always wondered how to rolled your own in the old days so you could use the silver holders. Too small would just fall out too large and would not fit holders. My dad would roll his own velvet or prince albert. His opinion was that hand rolled machines packed tobacco too heavily and they would not draw as when he rolled his by hand. I would bet there were more nickel silver and silver plate ones sold than sterling or gold. More cost efficient we are talking roll your owns. Gotta get me one of these bad boys to play with. A sterling or gold one of course!