Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

American Antique Guessing Game… What is it?

Guesing game

At my Mom's and her friend Holly's antique shop I saw this funky, metal, loopy looking thing and thought out loud, "What is it?"

I asked several people who were in the shop if they knew what it was… like me they guessed wrong.

My Mom and Holly were surprised that none of us knew. Surprised?! As if the funky, metal, loopy, looking thing was obvious.

Trust me it is not.

It is about five inches by five inches, dated 1920s or so.

 

Antique guessing

 

So here is the Guessing Game challenge. What is it?

 

The first one who guesses correctly will win it (Lucky!!) and the one with one of the most creative answer will win a newer version of this thingy (Lucky Duck too!)

 

Guessing game

 

The winners will be announced tomorrow.

 

Good Luck.

Here is a clue, guess outside the box, wild and off the wall, because it isn't what you think it is… I just thought I would say that to throw in some juicy excitement.

Halloween costume?

Once you know the answer you will want one too!

Comments

68 responses to “American Antique Guessing Game… What is it?”

  1. Julie Buck

    I think this is the “codpiece” for a chain mail suit of armor.
    Julie

    Reply
  2. BrittA

    To place the hot pots on, not to riun the table…….

    Reply
  3. Wandering Chopsticks

    This looks like a whisk that I saw in the kitchen of the Stevens-Crawford House museum in Oregon City. If all those loops were attached to a handle anyway. A lot of the contraptions looked like torture devices to me!

    Reply
  4. kathy woods

    Hi Corey
    It is a trivet for placing hot pots and pans on
    Kathy

    Reply
  5. Alexis

    Like Julie, I was thinking chain mail. 😀
    But my idea was more of a chain mail designed necklace (Attached to a longer chain that goes over the head, with those loops hanging down like a bib.)
    Or a metal veil, instead of one made with lace?

    Reply
  6. Sue K.

    A frother?

    Reply
  7. NancyO.

    Hi, Corey,
    Love your blog. It’s a pot scrubber…my Grandmother used one much like this.

    Reply
  8. Robyn [miss*R]

    a necklace?

    Reply
  9. French Curiosites

    I say it is an endless collection of men’s wedding rings….for when they manage to lose them and don’t want to have to explain it to their wife 🙂

    Reply
  10. Kip

    You use it to sift flour. You place it over a bowl and then sift away!

    Reply
  11. Miz Boo

    It’s a necklace :o)

    Reply
  12. hhb

    A pot scrubber.

    Reply
  13. karina

    I think it is a tool that wine makers use to press the grapes.

    Reply
  14. Whitney

    I have one with a handle and have always used it as a pot scrubber, but the person I got it from thought it was a type of wisk.

    Reply
  15. Penny

    This was, of course, the key holder Led Zeppelin used to open the various locks to his numerous guitar cases and was the inspiration for the name of the genre he and his band, and all others are now associated with called Heavy Metal.

    Reply
  16. Merry

    I was born late, on January 2nd … have been late ever since! I, too, think it’s a pot scrubber … please add my guess to the earlier pot scrubber votes … what time do you guys get up???

    Reply
  17. Cynthia Rieth

    Why its obvious its a child keeper – the mother put her fingers through 5 rings and all her little ones put their fingers through the other rings so they’d all stay together while they were out on their walks!

    Reply
  18. yvonne

    HOT PLATE
    Only a wild guess. It’s not a necklace for sure.
    yvonne

    Reply
  19. Christina

    Ohh I know! I know!
    It’s for the Keeper of the Keys! You know, the stern looking Woman of the Keep, the Castle… so many doors, so many keys… she needed a ginormous keyring, or rings in this case…
    Christina

    Reply
  20. susan

    Trivet. A beautiful specimen at that!

    Reply
  21. Cheryl ~ Casual Cottage Chic

    Since there is already a Lucky Duck with the right answer I thought I’d add a more creative {??} one…you dip it in soapy water and then blow through it to create a room full of floating bubbles. LOL! Have a great day 🙂

    Reply
  22. Cheryl ~ Casual Cottage Chic

    Quick question….is that darling red bucket in the picture for sale? Gotta have it!!!

    Reply
  23. Sue

    Medieval handkerchief?

    Reply
  24. Cynthia

    If it were heavier, I’d say it’s a thingy to throw down and make the dogs behave, a la Dog Whisperer.

    Reply
  25. GiGi

    Early version of a Slinky.

    Reply
  26. Barbara

    a trivet

    Reply
  27. Tammy Hensley

    I thought it might be a primitive frog for arranging flowers!

    Reply
  28. timeworninteriors

    It is a pot scrubber! I love having these things in my booth, cause people always ask the question: What is it?
    Theresa
    aka:TOT

    Reply
  29. Emily

    A potholder. Or is that too obvious?

    Reply
  30. gail

    Rug Beater.

    Reply
  31. Lorelei

    Looks like someone had too much time on their hands….

    Reply
  32. sharon

    I think this is a 19th century gadget for the ‘modern’ farmer’s wife, who doesn’t have that much time to pluck the chicken or turkey for Sunday lunch. “Rub it all over with this m’am and your bird is plucked faster than ever before.” yup it’s an automatic turkey plucker. Copyright exists I’m sure!
    Sharon
    My French Country Home

    Reply
  33. Lizbeth

    I think it’s a bit small for a codpiece but might make a good “chastity belt” attachment.

    Reply
  34. Tamra / The Gilded Barn

    It’s a snippet of a costume from the band Metallica. It was obviously ripped off of one of the band members by a ridiculously crazed fan who has now grown up and matured and in order not to be wasteful has decided to use it as a pot scrubber. duh.
    (Honestly though, the “chastity belt” comment still has me giggling, loved that one!)

    Reply
  35. Toni Mason

    Gary and I think it is a sort of trivit to put hot pots of boiling hot liquid on…like pomegranete jelly????

    Reply
  36. Jill

    Looks like the beginning of a chain maille vest to me.

    Reply
  37. Kate L.

    It is a vintage POT Scrubber. It was used to scrubber metal pots and pans! My grandma had one. and all the little girl grandchildren wanted her to take it apart so we could wear the “rings” as jewelry.
    Got to love those sweet memories.

    Reply
  38. Denise Solsrud

    way too late for submitting my answer,the guess has been given. my guess is a necklace. have a good weekend. Bestest,Denise

    Reply
  39. Kristin

    A trivet?

    Reply
  40. Cindy

    …a blanket for use in Hawaii!

    Reply
  41. Jonathan from Napa, CA

    I think it is an external or internal truss to repair a hernia, in the day.

    Reply
  42. Marie

    I think its something that you can put your pots or pans on!

    Reply
  43. Joan Tankersley

    hah. That isn’t an antique that is a piece of Cher’s costume circa 1987, probably from a Vegas show. 🙂 Just kidding, but you are in CA after all.
    I am in your beautiful country of France. Actually out of Paris for a few days only nestled by a fireplace on the German border.

    Reply
  44. Mahala

    Chain Maille, possibly part of an epaulette.

    Reply
  45. carol

    Wouldn’t you know, I usually check your blog first thing in the morn, but I went to garage sales today! It is of course a pot scrubber!

    Reply
  46. Pamela

    It is a pot scrubber, you gave a hint putting it à côté de la casserole rouge!

    Reply
  47. Mahala

    I wonder if it connects to the back of a piece of thong underwear to cover the cheeks a little. It could also be a matching head piece.

    Reply
  48. Marilyn

    It hangs in the barn as a warning to the horse that he is going into outdoors. It brushes against his back and head.

    Reply
  49. roxane stoner

    It was used to strain juices and water out of pots.

    Reply
  50. Shelley

    I think it is something you put your hot pans on like a pot holder.

    Reply
  51. Garet

    I think it is a veil that they covered there face in medieval times.

    Reply
  52. Denise Moulun-Pasek

    A trivet?

    Reply
  53. Bramble

    I am pretty sure the real answer has been given but I will offer up a “creative” suggestion instead. Might it be a calendar for a brave knight to count off the days until he sees his true love again? Seems like standard issue chain mail for some studly specimen!

    Reply
  54. Sue from Seattle

    placemat?

    Reply
  55. jend’isère

    Without entering contest, how about a mosquito repellent_shaking it makes them shake and flee.
    PS. I fear to say that it could be to repel lice, in an abrasive way.

    Reply
  56. Randi

    But it is it Antique pie weights?

    Reply
  57. Marie Noelle

    A chain mail (a piece of a lady’s garment.)

    Reply
  58. Barbara

    A pot scrubber.

    Reply
  59. Betty

    a pot scrubber.

    Reply
  60. Hasmin Cannon

    Lady Gaga’s next costume?!

    Reply
  61. Judy B. – Texas

    It’s a pot scrubber….I have one. Took me years of searching through antique stores, junky thrift stores, etc., but I finally found one. Used to display it in my kitchen but now it’s stored somewhere in my garage.

    Reply
  62. Danna Wolf

    Well, I grew up in the 70s so I’m gonna guess it’s a purse of some kind and that the pot was just to make us think it’s a trivet.

    Reply
  63. Betsy

    A large necklace.

    Reply
  64. Lynn W.

    This is a “WHAT WAS I THINKING?” thing. Each ring represents a relationship you had with someone you believed was the right guy for you …..and then you found out what he’s really like. You can also find these made by girls looking for the brass ring, but of course, they are in brass. It should be easy to find one …. or one hundred. They’re sometimes referred to as hopeless chests (since they’re won on your chest.

    Reply
  65. Eileen

    I thnk it’s a trivet for hot pots right off the stove.

    Reply
  66. Diane Dainis

    A trivet??

    Reply
  67. Sallie

    I think it holds meat above pan juices while roasting.

    Reply
  68. Sheri

    Fish scale remover?
    I have, believe it or not…. a glove made of smaller links with a leather strap
    and buckle at the wrist. For de-scaling fish.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions