🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Hi, Can anyone please help with the below item

[Claire62]

Hi,

This is my first post so I hope I get it right!

I inherited the item in the photos from my 4th generation grandfather.
Made from Lignum. It is a screw top lid . Diameter is 33mm height 26mm. Inside is a brass tube with a magnifying glass on the top. The bottom of the tube unscrews and inside that is an incredibly fine arrow needle. I think there was florescent paint on the bottom.
Thank you very much. Any help is gratefully received.

 

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[Red-Coat]

Welcome to Tnet.

Interesting item.

Is it actually a convex lens that you can see through, or is it a concave piece of glass that forms a shallow 'well'?

If it's the latter, I suspect it may be an 'oil cup' for lubricating watches. Vintage ones are often made of wood, with the shallow concave well to hold a few drops of oil inside made from either agate or glass. Some examples at the link below (or google >vintage watch oil cup<):

oil cup - agate cup - glass cup

Hello Clock and Watchmakers, I have received this beauty today. Would you know how and where to buy the insert? The oil cup, which somewhere mentioned as agate cup somewhere as glass cup? I have been thinking about this for a while now as I have a lathe. One option would be to buy a stand with 3-...

www.watchrepairtalk.com

Usually they come with a separate fine needle in a handle for applying tiny amounts of oil to watch movements, but I'm guessing the fine watch-hand-like 'needle' included within yours served the same purpose and it probably detaches or swings out for use.

 

[Gare]

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[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

pin magnetic? could be floated as a compass? any lines on the glass?

 

[Claire62]

Thank you everyone for your replies.
This forum has been very informative and welcoming.
I will definitely post again now I know what I’m doing !
Kind regards

 

[Red-Coat]

Thank you everyone for your replies.
This forum has been very informative and welcoming.
I will definitely post again now I know what I’m doing !
Kind regards

Welcome again. Keep the finds coming!

Folks here often ask for clarification of what posters are describing or can be seen in their pictures to get to a definitive identification.

Could you kindly clarify whether the glass portion you describe as a 'lens' is actually a proper convex lens that can be seen through, or a piece of glass with a concave depression that forms a shallow well? That will help us all in determining whether it is in fact an oil cup for watch lubrication, or something else that still needs further identification,

 

[Claire62]

Hi.
Yes, I can confirm that the lens does magnify. I have taken more photographs of the object. The arrow is fixed by a screw on the edge. The pale centre piece is slightly proud of the bottom so there is a shallow lip around the edge.

Thank you so much for your help.

Kind regards

Claire

 

[coast40]

Hi.
Yes, I can confirm that the lens does magnify. I have taken more photographs of the object. The arrow is fixed by a screw on the edge. The pale centre piece is slightly proud of the bottom so there is a shallow lip around the edge.

Thank you so much for your help.

Kind regards

Claire

The grooves painted flat black are indicative of anti-reflection used in a lens or camera.