1867. Approximately 10" long, take a look at Neatorama for more guesses on this one and a chance to win a T-shirt:
1868. 17" tall:
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1869. Around 36" long:
1870. About 14" long, sent in by a visitor:
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A smaller version, around 6" long:
1871. Another one submitted by a visitor:
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1872. 12" long:
Answers:
1867. A Japanese stirrup from the Edo Period, 1615-1868, for use by a Samurai horseman:
1868. An Italian oil lamp clock, when the reservoir is full the pointer rises to the top, as the oil burns the pointer moves to indicate the hours.
A similar device from the early 1800s, this German oil lamp clock has a graduated reservoir that indicates the time:
1869. An auger that was used by a miner to drill a hole for a blasting charge, in use it was held against the chest:
1870. A vajra or dorje, a weapon and ceremonial item from Asia:
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A smaller version, around 6" long:
1871. A fence tightener, it's missing its long wooden handle, patent number 912,845:
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1872. A brake holder for an old horse drawn wagon:
The lever is connected to the brakes for the back wheels:
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More discussion and comments on these photos can be found at the newsgroup rec.puzzles.
1868 - candle clock, light the candle at 6am, by 6pm it has burned out
ReplyDelete1869 - chest braced auger, press your chest into the curved part at the top and turn the handles to give a bit more oomph to your drilling prowess, it looks like it is missing the bit from the bottom.
1867 - a fancy-shmancy stirrup?
ReplyDelete1868 looks a bit more complicated than simply a candle holder. There appears to be a wick at the base of the cylinder and it looks like the little shaft slides up & down (like an indicator on a float). It might be a clock but possibly one that takes 12 hours to burn a chamber full of kerosene so that the float/indicator slowly drops down the scale.
ReplyDelete1868 Or simply a water-clock (clepsydra); the cylinder is filled with water, which leaks out at a rater that can be adjusted so that it takes 12 hours to empty.
ReplyDelete1870 Vajra--a representation of the thunderbolt, used in Hindu and Buddhist ritual.
1872 Rack part of a Wagon Brake.
ReplyDelete1867: samurai stirrup
ReplyDelete>There appears to be a wick at the base of the cylinder and it looks like the little shaft slides up & down (like an indicator on a float).
ReplyDeleteCorrect, it's an oil lamp clock
>1870 Vajra...
Yes
>1872 Rack part of a Wagon Brake.
Good answer, this is correct
1871 looks similar to a cant hook, for logging, though I don't think that's quite it.
ReplyDelete