Wednesday 19 November 2014

Wednesday.


Last Saturday morning, in Beccles, I bought the above 'Mystery Item'. It is six inches across the top and seven and a half inches high. It appears to be made of fairly straight grained walnut (I think).
                    What do you think is its purpose, and where and when was it made.
                                              Good guessing.

11 comments:

Rog said...

Clearly, this is an antique walnut stand. It was used by nut aficionados to display their walnuts.
I realise this is an old chestnut

Unknown said...

Dear Rog; we can simplify this :-
You're nuts.

Unknown said...

P.s. Rog - as this is (a) a fairly easy one, and (b) if you'r sensible this time - you can have another guess.

Rog said...

OK it's a little large and un-dished to be a watch or clock stand.
What about a cake stand?
I could see a tasty coffee & walnut cake sitting on it.

kippy said...

An adjustable cake or display stand? It is very beautiful

Paul said...

Got it !! You bought it in Beccles so obviously it's a stand for serving Beccles cakes. The knob underneath is for conveniently tipping them into the bin when you come to the realisation that nobody likes Beccles cake.

Unknown said...

Rog,Kippy, and Paul- you are all on the right lines, in that it is a stand, with the top part six inches across. It's a satisfying little item (not a clue) and as Kippy says - 'beautiful'. Rog, I aught to warn you that I think you've got competition in Paul, in that some of his ideas are as whacky as some of yours!!!!
I'll put up another photo of it this evening which will cast a bit more light on its purpose. In the meantime has anyone got ideas about its age and nationality?

Crowbard said...

Mike is it a horse-jack, an adjustable shoeing stand for one-armed farriers with refined taste in Beccles cakes perhaps?

Crowbard said...

Could it be a gnomen stand for a sundial of variable diameter ? clearly the screw would allow you to adjust and clamp the gnomen at a height to throw a suitably sized shadow.

Crowbard said...

perhaps a lace-makers candle stand, adjusting the height to illuminate the work when the candle has burned down?

Unknown said...

Crowbard got very near the object's purpose with his third stab at it, although I think a simpler, and more accurate answer would have been 'a candle stand'. If you go to Thursday's blog entry, I hope I've made my reasoning clear.