✅ SOLVED Is this a watch winder?

[invent4hir]

Is this a watch winder? If so, about how old? If not, what is it? Found about 100' from where a former 1 room school house once stood.

 

[ncsuwolf]

Is this a watch winder? If so, about how old? If not, what is it? Found about 100' from where a former 1 room school house once stood.

I would say yes. Don’t know about age.

 

[tamrock]

does it have a small square female socket end in the tip?

 

[invent4hir]

does it have a small square female socket end in the tip?

tamrock, no it is solid and round. On one hand it has a collar. On the other hand there is nothing on the opposite end, whereas, with many watch winders I see they have a hole to attach to a keychain.

 

[Picketwire]

From the collar, it looks like it swivels, the collar preventing it from wearing on the circle part. Is it copper alloy or magnetic? Is that gold plating next to the collar and inside the circle?

 

[invent4hir]

From the collar, it looks like it swivels, the collar preventing it from wearing on the circle part. Is it copper alloy or magnetic? Is that gold plating next to the collar and inside the circle?

Picketwire, if one holds the circle part they can turn the whole thing. I believe it to be brass. At first I thought it was 1/2 of a doll's spectacles. Crazy first impressions...

 

[pepperj]

Picketwire, if one holds the circle part they can turn the whole thing. I believe it to be brass. At first I thought it was 1/2 of a doll's spectacles. Crazy first impressions...

Watch winder, well dug.
Kind of a personal item, like a thimble.
They come in many different styles.
From 3 yrs ago, got a few more since then.

 

[Mud Hut]

When you enlarge that, the oval part is a snake! That's awesome!

 

[invent4hir]

pepperj, thanks for the ID. Rather than ask how old the one I found is, do you know if watch winding keys in general went out of use altogether in the 19th C replaced by crowns? I know my grandfather's pocket watch from the late 19th C-early 20th C had a crown.

Per the Quill and Pad website the permanently attached knob (crown) was invented in 1842 by French watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe (co-founder of Patek Philippe). So by 1900, crowns had been around for 58 years...

 

[invent4hir]

When you enlarge that, the oval part is a snake! That's awesome!View attachment 2165873

Mud Hut, good catch! I'll use that detail when donating it to the local history museum in an educational display case. Thanks!

 

[invent4hir]

Here are 2 more

 

[pepperj]

When you enlarge that, the oval part is a snake! That's awesome!View attachment 2165873

Good catch 👏

 

[pepperj]

Here are 2 more

Same one just opposing views if the same winder.

 

[invent4hir]

Same one just opposing views if the same winder.

pepperj, thanks again! Time to mark this solved & get my eyes checked...