“What is it? How to use it?” These are the questions that Internet users tend to ask when they dig up something interesting in their grandma’s cupboard.
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“This chain inside my door? It connects the door to the frame and can easily just be pulled out of the door.”“Promo item I received for free at a Christmas Fair. It is the size of my hand, the white top screws on and off and the red bag part expands and is pretty thick.”“My friend found this on her coffee table. It’s made of metal and bracelet sized. But no closure to put on.”“I bought this from my local antique shop. I was thinking of using it to store thread when I’m traveling. What did you historical store in this?”“I got this from my grandmother and have no idea what it is. It’s pretty darn heavy and has what looks to be a little stone in the middle. Also, there are Chinese characters on the bottom.”“Small plastic spoons with brown substance, individually packaged and found in a public park. What is it?”“What is the small tub for next to the big jetted tub? It has no drain and no faucet.”“Scissors with weird angle. What is the use of this?”“Found this on the ground years ago and felt compelled to take it. Can’t figure out how to put it on any body part.”“A silver spoon with ‘top’ part?”“What could it be?”“What is this thing received by a family member as a Christmas gift? Top half silver, bottom half wood.”“It has apparently been in the family for 80 years. Any help identifying this would be great!”“A transparent plastic thing with a hinged lid that opens up and a ridged cylinder that spins inside. Found in an old office space.”“Small black ceramic dish with 3 holes in center”“What is this phone charm thing? Comes apart and looks like a macaroon when together.”
And by looking at these objects, you can’t help but wonder: what are they actually for?
“From my grandparents. Does anyone have ideas?”
- It’s a sugar scuttle. © savanthebride / Reddit
- My mom always used this for mixed nuts, then people’s hands don’t touch the nuts, just the little scoop. © Fickle-Friendship-31 / Reddit
“This chain inside my door? It connects the door to the frame and can easily just be pulled out of the door.”
- It’s a concealed door closer (and it’s broken). © sjhill / Reddit
“Promo item I received for free at a Christmas Fair. It is the size of my hand, the white top screws on and off and the red bag part expands and is pretty thick.”
- You fill it with ice and use it for bruises / knee pain like you would a bag of frozen peas. © OODA_Loops / Reddit
“My friend found this on her coffee table. It’s made of metal and bracelet sized. But no closure to put on.”
- It’s a tie chain. Little loop hangs in a button of the dress shirt and the tie goes thought the chain. It prevents the tie from moving around too much. © adamhughey / Reddit
“I bought this from my local antique shop. I was thinking of using it to store thread when I’m traveling. What did you historical store in this?”
Might be a vintage binoculars bag.
- It’s a camera case. © SoulSisterNW / Reddit
“I got this from my grandmother and have no idea what it is. It’s pretty darn heavy and has what looks to be a little stone in the middle. Also, there are Chinese characters on the bottom.”
- These are called chops — it’s a way of signing your name, still used for legal documents in some places. There is a street in Hong Kong where you can have them made while you wait. Cool piece. © brasskat / Reddit
“Small plastic spoons with brown substance, individually packaged and found in a public park. What is it?”
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- Tamarind spoon. You have Hispanics in the neighborhood would be my guess. © ape_on_lucy / Reddit
“What is the small tub for next to the big jetted tub? It has no drain and no faucet.”
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- I’m thinking it is/was a spot for an artificial plant. The rest of the aesthetic seems just right for the time when designers thought that was a good idea. © Fyrefrog25 / Reddit
“Scissors with weird angle. What is the use of this?”
- To cut candle wicks. © Master_Chipmunk / Reddit
“Found this on the ground years ago and felt compelled to take it. Can’t figure out how to put it on any body part.”
- This is decoration for boots. The single strap goes under the arch of the boot, in front of the heel, the double straps go around the ankle. © Tutski08 / Reddit
“A silver spoon with ‘top’ part?”
It’s an invalid spoon, for feeding someone confined to bed. The cover reduces spills.
- Seems to be a medicine spoon. © vtosnaks / Reddit
“What could it be?”
- Pretty sure that’s a baby rattle, but the bells were removed. © Crafty-Shape2743 / Reddit
“What is this thing received by a family member as a Christmas gift? Top half silver, bottom half wood.”
- Victorian nail buffer. © hyperdreamz / Reddit
“It has apparently been in the family for 80 years. Any help identifying this would be great!”
- Part of a Prussian soldier’s kit to hold a small amount of ground coffee. © hekla7 / Reddit
“A transparent plastic thing with a hinged lid that opens up and a ridged cylinder that spins inside. Found in an old office space.”
- A paper clip dispenser! That’s incredibly boring, but also I am so glad to have the answer. © BeachPigeon / Reddit
“Small black ceramic dish with 3 holes in center”
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- It’s a soap dish. It’s sitting on our downstairs bathroom sink right now. © Garth_AIgar / Reddit
“What is this phone charm thing? Comes apart and looks like a macaroon when together.”
- It is the screen cleaner. © beannn42 / Reddit
And is another group of people who really needed some help identifying their unknown objects.