“What is this?”: 30 mysterious objects and their purpose (32 photos)
We often come across all sorts of incomprehensible things and there is a desire to understand the origin and purpose of such “stray”. And here specialists from the network can come to the rescue, who will easily and simply answer the most difficult questions. 
People on the Internet seem to know everything. That's all. And those who happen to find some strange object, which is not clear for what purpose, can easily be convinced of this. It’s worth showing his photo online, and there will be experts who will explain everything and sort it out. We have collected examples of such cases for you.
Found along with many ancient maritime artifacts 
Speed meter. Used for boats and ships. A propeller-like object is in the water, spinning as the boat moves, the rope spins and moves the dial, allowing you to know the speed indicated on the dial. The length of the rope may vary.
P.S. Some antique meters cost good money.
This is a gate blocking access to some cell towers. Why are there so many locks and how do you even open them? 
You can open the gate by unlocking only one lock. This design allows multiple people to use the gate, and if one person loses their keys, only their lock needs to be replaced. Unlike one padlock with many keys, you won't have to hand over a new key to a bunch of people.
A small round spoon with an alligator clip on the handle. Found in the kitchen 
Coffee scoop with coffee bag clip.
A metal thing, both balls are fastened together. The rod moves. 4 ends are not rounded, but simply cut off 
Ladies used these small whisks to degas carbonated drinks. I think it was believed that burping was unladylike. Also used to degas wine, probably to make it more drinkable after opening the bottle.
Found while climbing a hill in South Dakota. The eye doesn't look natural, but I'm not sure what it is 
Possible deposition of minerals in rock that has been dissolved over a long period of time.
Master in Geophysics here: It's called a nodule. It can grow in many ways, but is essentially a collection of solidified matter.
My husband has this thing in his collection but has no idea what it's for other than being an ax 
This is an aircraft emergency axe. Typically installed on cargo aircraft.
What's that old container at Birmingham Airport? 
I think this is a training tool for fire brigades.
As a former firefighter, I assume this is intended to practice various firefighting activities such as search and rescue, extrication, etc.
What is this? Some kind of liquid candy or juice? 
This is a thing from Australia. They are filled with jelly with the aroma of fruits, in the form of which the candy is made.
What is that oddly shaped sink in the hallway? 
This is called a butler sink or janitor sink. It is used for cleaning, filling buckets, unloading garbage. This is necessary to wash surfaces without having to walk around the house again.
What is this V-shaped mark? Found in Germany 
This is an old method of collecting sap to make turpentine. This is called a "cat face".
I discovered this while cleaning my apartment, it is quite heavy and not sharp. 
Bottle opener.
In the comments they also found out that it is stylized as a Japanese jutte weapon. 
What is that little rubbery thing I found in my throat when I coughed after waking up this morning? Earring for comparison 
This is part of an electric toothbrush, a gum massager.
What is that thing in the middle of the ashtray for? 
Matchbox stand. 
Found in an old house built in 1914, little gold things spin when you pull the red cord. Made by Siemens 
Sharpener for razor blades.
What is this green round object found in my grandparents' garden? 
This is a slug trap.
Old pieces of glass with four pictures 
Slides for the "magic lantern". These should be inserted into the slide show projector.
What is that round metal object on the property of a Colonial-era home near New England? 
It looks like part of some kind of mill, reminiscent of a modern coffee grinder with a conical burr.
It's all made from antique silver. 
On the left is an olive spoon, in the middle is a lemon fork, and the device with the chicken paw is an ice tong.
The brass object was always by the fireplace, and no one in my family had any idea what it was. 
This is an iron for ironing frills and ribbons.
Found in an old farmhouse, appears to be some kind of chemistry set. What was it used for? 
This is an antique steam inhaler.
It seems to be something for determining distance 
Odometer. This is for old paper maps. Simply draw the route you want and use the map readings and scale in miles/km to find out the actual distance.
Perhaps it's a set of measuring instruments 
These are test objects for vision testing.
Found it while cleaning out my grandparents' house. The box is approximately 110cm long and has the grandfather's name engraved on the metal tube. But what is it? 
It turned out that it was a sampler. The author's grandfather owned a vineyard in Bordeaux and imported wines. Apparently, this instrument served him to take samples from the barrel.
What is this ring that my Uber driver randomly clicks on? 
This is an alternative to rosary beads, a prayer counter. This helps you not lose count when you need to repeat words a certain number of times.
Discovered by a metal detector in a Minnesota park where other objects from around the 1860s have been found 
Mold for casting lead soldiers.
Unusual small silver box with a wing on a chain inside 
This is a hook for a bag. You hang it on the table so your purse doesn't touch the floor.
Found while cleaning the estate. At first glance it seems that this is for storing liquid, but there is a large hole at the bottom 
Wasp trap. Sweet liquid and dishwashing detergent go to the bottom. Stinging insects arrive, soap reduces surface tension and covers them. They die/drown.
Leather thing with a strap 
Black Jack. This is a kind of self-defense. However, check your local laws on how to carry it.
I found this on the ground. Yellow, light, made of plastic, still sealed 
Car air freshener with vanilla aroma.
