mystery metal object

mojjax · Sep 7, 2011

It's shaped like a book , but it won't open . There is some sort of image on it . One end has a hole in it , the other end says "PAT.APL'D FOR" .

Any ideas ?

creskol · Sep 7, 2011

May be a book shaped butane cigarette lighter.

High Plains Digger · Sep 7, 2011

Looks like a book, feels like a book, smells like a book? Wonder why it doesn't quack.

I can't read a sealed book. Perhaps all of the lost knowledgle of the ages is contained therein.

Broken knee · Sep 7, 2011

How about a perfume container? HH :icon_thumright:

Broken Knee

ArfieBoy · Sep 7, 2011

creskol said:
May be a book shaped butane cigarette lighter.

No butane fuel port, no moving part to fire it up... I think that's out. I have no ideas! Good luck finding out.

Jeff H · Sep 7, 2011

Can't make out the image. Maybe a pencil sharpener

Sheldon J · Sep 7, 2011

Jeff H said:
Can't make out the image. Maybe a pencil sharpener

Thought of that but the hole is too small

bradyboy · Sep 7, 2011

could it be a charm bracelet ?
Brady

duffytrash · Sep 7, 2011

match striker

creskol · Sep 7, 2011

Here is another thought .. a detachable key chain fob:

SODABOTTLEBOB · Sep 7, 2011

Based on what I can see of the image, I'd say the following word may come into play ...

"Naughty"

As in "naughty" French peek-a-book.

:dontknow:

SBB

Mojjax ~ Did you "peek" into the hole?

SODABOTTLEBOB · Sep 7, 2011

P.S. ~

Mojjax ... have you attempted to see if the eraser end of a pencil fits into the hole?

Maybe it's one of those deals. You know how books and pencils kind of go together!

I believe the term I am looking for is "pencil topper."

Thanx.

SBB

ivan salis · Sep 7, 2011

risque lookie book =-) nudie image was at one time visible

trikikiwi · Sep 8, 2011

I believe it is one of these

A magic match.

Cheers, Mike

bradyboy · Sep 8, 2011

I would think it is functional andhas a purpose due to a patent pending mark
looks pretty small
Brady

mojjax · Sep 8, 2011

trikikiwi said:
I believe it is one of these

A magic match.

Cheers, Mike

I think Triki might be right ! I probed the hole with a bent paperclip , and was able to pull out some cotton that was jammed in the bottom .

Breezie · Sep 8, 2011

Nice ID Mike :thumbsup:

Here's a website with some info about pre-flnit lighters:
http://www.vintagelighterbook.com/html/pre-flint_lighters.html

Breezie

SODABOTTLEBOB · Sep 8, 2011

~ trikikiwi ~

:notworthy:

Great ID! I never would'a guessed it.

Here's one from e-bay that is similar.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-SIL...les_Tobacciana_Smoking_LE&hash=item3367a52b6e

(Lots of close up pics ~ Scroll to very end of description )

[ I'm wondering if it's possible to have two different patents that are so similar? ]

ANTIQUE SILVER LIGHTER STRIKER NIELLO CONTINENTAL C1920

mojjax · Sep 8, 2011

Thanks for the great links Breezie & SBob :headbang:

SODABOTTLEBOB · Sep 8, 2011

Because the lighter is marked "PAT. APL'D FOR" I am curious about that aspect of it. I found the one shown below which is a 1934/35 U.S. Patent. But it indicates it is an "improvement" on an earlier lighter with the following foreign (French ?) reference numbers ...

F23Q2/00; F23Q2/10; F23Q2/00; (IPC1-7): F23Q2/32

Patent searches are complicated enough. Searching foreign ones is even tougher. :icon_scratch:

I am assuming because Mojjax's lighter has the patent info written in English, that it has a U.S. patent ... (But I'm not 100% sure about this). :dontknow:

I intend to do a little more searching and see if I can find an exact match. If you don't hear back from me soon, it means I came up empty handed.

SBB