Above is what our garden looked like when we came down this morning. It has now been snowing steadily for two days. It's been (generally) fine snow, and the temperature has been just above freezing for most of that time, so that the snow has been thawing a bit. Even so, and allowing for the thaw, I think that about six inches of snow has fallen over this weekend, so that, when it really does thaw (and stops snowing) there'll be local flooding in our area in all probability (it's being so cheerful that keeps us all going).
Been tidying up one or two bits of stock today. The above is today's 'mystery item'. It's of iron and brass. When closed it's about two and a half inches long. I think it might be tooooo obvious for most of you, and if so, I apologise. But do have a try (sorry, no prizes Rog- especially as you're a professional dealer). I had two hours sleep this afternoon, and I shall soon be ready to resume the horizontal posish. Ann says that as I'm getting so much sleep, that is what the body requires; and I suppose she must be right.
So - Goodnight All.
14 comments:
I don't think we've had as much snow as that, but it must be three or four inches, or would be if it had all lain.
I don't know what your mystery object is and nor does the Sage. You've beaten us thoroughly!
Zoe, you surprise me that the Sage doesn't know what the object is. Just as a hint, it's a sort of forerunner of one of his specialist lines of collecting. Won't say what it is yet as one or two others may want to guess.
Is it a flint box for a flint lock pistol?
Or a tinder box?
Hello Pa, a few thoughts, Grannie Annie is (as usual) quite right and should be heeded, or else. The thingy is a whatsit that was used to light hoojamaflips a long time ago. An explanation of posish may be required for Lori. We too have had lots of the White stuff, but were in Warwickshire for Sunday lunch and on high ground there is a great deal of drifting, alsorts of weird shapes hanging from the hedgerows! Crossword is a bit of a stinker, feels like the same chap as last week, but he has become more cunning and I am in need of assistance. Will call as usual on Tuesday during footie practise, Guys, not mine, (too difficult to write and control the ball at the same time at my age) and anyway, girls are too sensible to kick a big bag of wind about on a cold night, or at any time, come to that. I digress, must head off to bed, hacking cough is proving a bugger to shift and am in need of some shut eye. Much love Stiggy x
Well done, Maggie. It's a pocket tinder box, open and with a flint and steel on top of it. They fit neatly into the box, with just room enough for tinder and possibly a sulphur splint or two.
P.s. Zoe, as I said that's a sort of predecessor (that's a word that looks wrong however it's spelt) of one of the Sage's vesta cases.
Well done Sal. If there were a prize (and I'm sure you know me better than to expect one) you would be sharing it with your Aunt Maggie. I must say Daughter, that I am impressed with your use of the correct antiquarian terminology :- 'the thingy is a wotsit to light hoojamaflips'- Sotheby's could not have catalogued it better, or dated it more accurately - 'a long time ago'.
Well done Sal. If there were a prize (and I'm sure you know me better than to expect one) you would be sharing it with your Aunt Maggie. I must say Daughter, that I am impressed with your use of the correct antiquarian terminology :- 'the thingy is a wotsit to light hoojamaflips'- Sotheby's could not have catalogued it better, or dated it more accurately - 'a long time ago'.
Ooh Maggie, you've beaten me to it. I was working methodically back from the dawn of time and I'd just got up to a late neolithic blunt arrow head pouch for late stone age people who didn't want to hurt their dinner by using sharp arrows - or an early iron-age sacred symbol that magically gives off sparks when the shaman hits it with a blunt arrow head! Given a few millenia I would have got to it!
Luv BigIckleBruv
(Mag's intermediate but bigger than she & Mike's 'ickle bwuvva)
Woke up to find the snow largely gone and the answers all in. I was imagining it as the 1980's pocket emailer developed by Lord Sugar which failed due to the fact that it couldn't send emails and didn't fit in the pocket.
Ps the interior section is in the shape of a Swan. I wonder if the Swan Vestas derived their name from this?
I saw your post too late to get in and show off my astounding knowledge re the tinder box. Is that the one that you demonstrated to me? I seem to recall some frantic stamping on the carpet to prevent a conflagration. I trust that you are remaining well and are continuing to be the model patient?
Hello Rog. Ref the fire steel in the box. I have seen one or two steels forged in the shape of swans and with the details engraved. The size and shape of fire steels lend themselves to all sort of fanciful forms. Actually, I have just been leafing through Alessandro Cesati's book 'Fire steels', and cannot find one in swan form, so it must be one of the rarer ones!
Hello Sir Bruin. Although I think we probably looked at the tinder box illustrated, the one I actually demonstrated to you (and which we had to stamp out the results of) is a standard size tinder box, which I find easier to use, and to demonstrate the use of. I always try to keep one usable one in stock. They are interesting, but not particularly valuable (I'm glad to say).
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