Some kind of tool - total mystery to us

[randazzo1]

This item was eyeballed by my brother - we cannot figure out what it is but it appears to have some sort of utilitarian purpose. The ten dollar bill is there for scale. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

The metal caps are copper and the metal bar is brass or bronze. The "bow" part is made of plastic or bone. We tried pushing a hot needle into it and it did not go in.

 

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[old digger]

Heat up the metal part and slice the cheese or butter?

 

[Breezie]

It looks like a ladies purse handle that is missing the cloth purse portion. I'm thinking the handle is probably Bakelite. If it is bone, it will have tiny grains in it. Bakelite handle purses were popular in the 1950s/60s. Go back and find what fell out of the purse! Interesting find, Breezie

 

[Silver Searcher]

Does look like a cheese cutter..

SS

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Rand ~

Is the bow part ...

1. Flat or round?
2. Ridgid or flexible?
3. Have any serrations or teeth?


At a glance it does look like some kind of cheese slicer, but the "plastic or bone" aspect is puzzling. And it seems too small for a bread cutter.

Thanks


SBB

 

[Breezie]

I still think it is a small purse because the bottom bar, which would be the 'cutting' portion of a cheese/bread slicer looks too large and not sharp. If you will notice SS's pic, you will see the very thin wire that slices the cheese (notice I didn't say, 'cuts the cheese' LOL) and the purpose of the larger round bar is to prevent the cheese from curling so much.

In the 1960's just about every woman had a Macrame pocketbook/purse. Macrame was one of the most popular fads during that time from purses to plant hangers and even car seat covers. The purse frames were made of wood, brass, bone, Bakelite, and die cast metals. These purses came in all sizes from very small to super large, and the frames were in various shapes from round, oval, square, etc. The one pictured below is a smaller change purse size with the change purse closure, but the shape is basically the same.

Actually we really don't know the exact diameter of the bottom bar, but it does look too large for slicing cheese or bread.

Breezie

 

[Silver Searcher]

It looks like the bottom has the holes for the cheese cutter/slicer, and the wire broken/rotted away.

SS

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

It would be difficult to use as a cheese slicer if used 'sideways.' But it would work just fine if the missing slicer part was offset so it could be used by pushing straight down from the top. That plastic part could very well be the thickness gauge and where the cheese rolls over it.

SBB

 

[Breezie]

Here's a closer look.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Hey Breezie ~

That's no fair! ... Where's the beef? Where's the hole?

SBB

 

[Silver Searcher]

It would be difficult to use as a cheese slicer if used 'sideways.' But it would work just fine if the missing slicer part was offset so it could be used by pushing straight down from the top. That plastic part could very well be the thickness gauge and where the cheese rolls over it.

SBB

I think you are meant to pull towards you, the wire cuts and the bar rolls it ...I think, but it might not be a cheese cutter.

 

[Breezie]

Hey Breezie ~

That's no fair! ... Where's the beef? Where's the hole?

SBB

LOL Bob; SS said there was a hole at the bottom, so I uploaded the pic and enlarged it, but I couldn't see a hole. It looks flat to me. Breezie

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Here's a slightly enhanced peek at the other picture again ... But I'm sure this is the same end of the item that Breezie highlighted. The OP will be able to say for certain ... hole or no hole? I vote no hole and that Breezie is on track with her clutch purse theory.

 

[Silver Searcher]

LOL Bob; SS said there was a hole at the bottom, so I uploaded the pic and enlarged it, but I couldn't see a hole. It looks flat to me. Breezie

No SS said it looks like a hole....facts please, anyway I thought you were done with me, so why quote me.

 

[randazzo1]

Thanks Breezie, Old Digger, Sodabottlebob and Silver Searcher for your input. To answer the questions - the bar is rigid, round and has no teeth or ridges or other texture. There are no holes on the bottoms of the little copper feet. It does seem like it could have been a purse handle --- thinking there would have been two and then a snap on the cloth portion?

Thanks again,

randazzo1