Bottle pit find

[Jenny23]

I live in a turn of the century farm house in Northern Maine. We have a "bottle pit" as we call it in the yard. We have found items dating between the 1920's - the 1950's. We found this item and we can't figure out what it could have been. We know what it kind of looks like but we're not sure it could have existed in the 50's. The green part is broken on one end and fits inside the clear tube. The tube has no broken ends. What is it?

 

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[lisfisher]

interesting. Looks almost like something one would smoke something out of. Is that tube made of glass??

 

[Jenny23]

Yes, everything is made of glass

 

[NHBandit]

Certainly not a pipe of any kind. Maybe a syringe to be used to force water into your ears to clean them out ? Has a medical look to me.

 

[Aussie]

Looks to me like an old vacuum tube for cleaning out ears perhaps? Seems the greener solid piece has retainers to hold an o ring and would be the plunger. Certainly seems old style medical.

 

[Aussie]

Lol snap!

 

[Jenny23]

There are several dumps on the property and it's interesting to see how each family lived. One pit has a great deal of medical bottles and no alcohol bottles. The pit where this was found has mostly liquor bottles but some medical bottles like elixirs and dental ailment treatments. Old toys as well. The rounded end of the tube does fit in my ear. I had to try it!

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Welcome to Treasurenet Jenny23, I too would love to know what you have there as myself and also a diving buddy have each found a similar item. We have never found the tube like item but the solid glass piece is a close match. Mine has a larger end on it and we thought they they were applicators for perfume or medicine. Ours came of a wreck that went down in 1870.

I would really love to know exactly what they were used for. Perhaps you could post yours on the Whatisit forum as your's is more complete.
ZDD

 

[Jenny23]

I looked up "antique ear cleaners" on Google and found very similar items. Yours looks like the plunger piece that would go down the tube. It would have had a cork or rubber or tied cotton on it to work as a stopper and then it would go down the tube that would be the syringe. I think we're on the right track. I'm new to this but I'll try to get it on that forum.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Sounds good Jenny, I will do a little more research on my end. I look forward to seeing your posts, I am an avid bottle diver and and can't wait to see your bottle finds from the pits.
ZDD

 

[Qball]

they look like crack pipes to me.

 

[ynpto804]

What you have is a early 1900's syringe, some where used for "cleaning" ear or nasally injecting medicines. The green part is the plunger that would have had a cork on it. Very nice medical device. I bet you'll find more

 

[Jenny23]

Thanks for leading me down the right track. It's an updated ear syringe. Curved for a gentler clean. Awesome.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Great ID on the mystery device. Here is an image of one.
Ear Irrigating Syringe, Medical Antiques, Ed Welch Antiques, LLC.