Mystery tool

Russ from MN

Well-known Member
Location
Bemidji MN
Any idea what this is? A friend sent me these photos. Thanks!
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Almost looks like it could be an early style gizmo for putting grooves into wood dowels. Only thing, seems like that practice didn't come along until more recent times.

Ask your friend if there are any markings or lettering/words on it anywhere, and to give some sort of measurement. Width would probably be all that's necessary in this instance -- or put a quarter in a photo for scale.
 
(quoted from post at 10:15:23 09/21/18) probably way off base, but looks like a crimping tool. Clamp butt splices on wire.

Probably not, as "crimp" wire connectors weren't invented 'till the 50's, and didn't come into common use until the 60's, and the tool looks a LOT older than that.

I wonder about possibly a tool to crimp metal ends on rope or cord, NOT sure what they are called in larger sizes, on shoelaces they are called "aglets", dunno if that applies to larger versions.

Look at last example in the photo below. Probably still a shoelace, but I've seen larger examples on rope.

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What is impressive is the artwork and design put into something as insignificant as a cork press. This tool could have simply been made to function and not look so neat.
 
"What is impressive is the artwork and design put into something as insignificant as a cork press."

At the time it was used (18th and 19th centuries) pharmacy was mostly a scam. They needed impressive looking equipment and nice bottles to put on the show.

My grandfather, born in the 1880's, never trusted doctors because as a child he helped his doctor uncle fill bottles with sugar pills in the evening before making his rounds the next day.
 
Good call Larry. I couldn't identify it, and I even used to have a cork press, although it looked different than that one.
 

I have a couple of cork presses and until 5 years or so ago, I didn't even know what they were.

Mine and all the others I've seen are "one-sized".....for about the size of a wine bottle cork.


This one sure is ornate and, as someone said, I could see it being used in an old time pharmacy where there would be assorted bottle sizes.


Cleaned up, it would make a nice kitchen decoration and a definite "conversation piece".
 

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