Unknown object

[Madhatterrus]

Hi all,

I would appreciate any info on the mystery object a friend of mine has had in the family for many years. It is a flat box that measures 8x4.5x0.7 cm and opens to reveal a sliding sheet with two holes. Can anyone shed a light on the usage of this object please? I thought it might be a sort of optical equipment but it's rather inconvenient for the eyes and it doesn't have a handle etc. Could it be for miniature portraits? Or perhaps for pills or medicine?
It's made of silver and has a turquoise cabochon on the clasp.

Any help is much appreciated.

[agphile]

Looks like a cigar cutter to me.

[Madhatterrus]

Looks like a cigar cutter to me.

Hi Agphile,

Thank you for your reply. I got the same opinion on another forum, but I cannot imagine how they'd use it as a cigar cutter. What is the second hole for?

[agphile]

Yes, the second hole is a puzzle, and I wasn't too confident of my suggestion. The horse shoe engraving suggests "good luck", but if that is a clue it hasn't led me to a better suggestion. Let's hope somebody here has the definitive answer.

[JLDoggett]

Sorry, but I doubt that would cut the end of a cigar... I have quite a few cutters and all have steel blades, and round holes.

[salmoned]

I'll guess a card holder. With a card conveniently placed in the aperture slot, you can dispense one without looking by sliding it out and pushing your finger through the hole to release the card. Other cards are stored in the main body. Okay, it's a wild shot.