Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

French Antique Guessing Game

 

French Antique Guessing Game

 

French Antique Guessing Game. 

French Husband pointed these out to me at the brocante fair in Vanves Paris last weekend.

He LOVES it when I don't know what some old thing is. Immediately he beamed, "I found a

good one for the Guessing Game, right?"

 

 

 

French Antique Guessing Game

 

He did!

These things stumped me.

French Husband said he remembered them from childhood.

His mother used them often.

 

 

 

 

French Antique Guessing Game

 

How to Play:

– Leave your guess in the comment section at the end of this post.

– The first person to guess the right answer will win one of them.

– If you are unsure, you can leave a creative response in the comment section, and I will pick one to win the second glass "whatever".

– Game ends tomorrow.

 

 

French Antique Guessing Game

 

Solid glass

1930s – 50s

Ridge underside.

About three inches long.

 

 

French Antique Guessing Game

 

Do you know what these are and what they were used for?

Comments

108 responses to “French Antique Guessing Game”

  1. Debbie

    Hi
    Are they some sort of door stopper which gives you multiple positions to have a door ajar?
    My other thought is – do they help to stretch shoes which may not be quite large enough?
    Whatever they are – I am sure they were very useful!

    Reply
  2. Julie

    hi Corey
    I think the are knife rests to keep the tablecloth clean
    Have a great day

    Reply
  3. Laura Lee

    Bon jour! Useful and pretty things to have on a table – I too think they are knife rests.

    Reply
  4. Linda

    Used on stove to rest cooking tool so stove stays clean (huh?!).

    Reply
  5. Tamisha

    I think they must be some sort of cutlery rest, butter knives on the table, to avoid getting oily marks on the tablecloth.

    Reply
  6. Carol L

    Hi Corey,
    Maybe they are to wind a too long lamp cord around?
    Loving your photos of Paris.

    Reply
  7. Toni

    I think they were levelers of soome sort.
    Maybe under a pot or a potted plant.

    Reply
  8. Claudia

    How about for teething babies? Even though they are glass, a baby could teeth on them and you could chill them also.

    Reply
  9. Kathy

    A knife rest? At a dinner party?

    Reply
  10. Judith

    warmed gently on the stove then slipped into chilly, wet
    slippers or shoes

    Reply
  11. Tongue in Cheek

    Hey! I know what a knife rest is. Try again.

    Reply
  12. christine

    They look like mitten warmers – heat them on the stove and pop them in………

    Reply
  13. marlis

    Was this used to rub the clothes when doing laundry? Maybe along a washboard or maybe not.. ??? this is a good one.. xo marlis

    Reply
  14. Nancy

    The first thing that comes to mind when I see the ridges is a gnocchi board, but glass?
    Hmm…..what could they be?

    Reply
  15. Star

    Like Debbie, I thought they looked like doorstops.

    Reply
  16. jend’isère

    Could they be to rest ink cartridge pens between dipping in inkwell and writing? PS.In the case that I guessed correctly, sen the prize to an artistic response!

    Reply
  17. Nancy in Solana Beach

    Maybe they are trivets for dishes on a table? This is perplexing!!!

    Reply
  18. Nancy in Solana Beach

    On second thought, I think that Debbie and Star are correct – door stoppers.

    Reply
  19. Ed in Willows

    Star beat me to my guess……….door stops

    Reply
  20. Beverly

    Did I see an opening at the end? Not sure. But my thought was a hot water bottle! Either fill with hot water or if no opening, warm bottle in hot water …then use to warm your feet or put on those sore aching spots, maybe on your neck, etc.

    Reply
  21. Joan

    These are spare tongues for the Ice Queen. When she gets angry her tongue melts and she needs to pop another one in!

    Reply
  22. Maria

    For ironing clothes, you plump up the ruffle from the inside with them and then iron over them?

    Reply
  23. Smee

    I always feel such the dork when it comes to guessing, that aside…
    an individual citrus reamer, you know for when someone says, “Water, with lemon.” and you bring them a wedge on a plate, they can act like the Queen and use their tiny little personal reamer. No?
    Fancy Pie Crimper?
    A stem support for a sad little house plant?
    I give up! lol

    Reply
  24. Maria

    Or maybe some sort of shoe form? Btw, that “ice queen” answer was fabulous!

    Reply
  25. martina

    Thingies to stretch the finger parts in leather gloves.
    to keep the slats on a shutter open or the shutter itself open.

    Reply
  26. Carol L

    On second thought I think it is a tiny washboard. If you are having a dinner party and someone spills red wine you discreetly hand it too them and they use the lemon slice and water from their finger bowl along with the salt celler and scrub it out themselves, then continue on with dessert.
    I think I have been watching too much Downton Abbey !

    Reply
  27. Carol L

    One more…you put it in a pot so whatever you are cooking doesnt boil over.

    Reply
  28. Patricia

    Judith offered my first thought: warm them and put them in footwear to take the chill off. Alternatively, one could slip them into wet wool mittens in the winter to keep their shape as they dried. It could happen. 😉
    Love,
    Patricia

    Reply
  29. Chris Wittmann

    I’m thinking knife rests ??

    Reply
  30. Marilyn

    At first when I thought it was hollow inside I said that is a pastry holder, so the fingers don’t get food on them. Then when I realized it was solid I realized it was a finger gripper to strengthen the hands.

    Reply
  31. Diogenes

    Haven’t a clue….something to wrap thread around? The top picture looks like it’s imprinted with the word “crevette” or shrimp in English, but I can’t clearly read it.
    Vanves…wish I was there too. Then we could head over to Marche aux Puces and visit les antiquaires. 😉

    Reply
  32. Ellen

    I can’t tell if they are supposed to fit together. It makes me think of ruffles.

    Reply
  33. Linda Kay

    Wild guess – a spoon or knife rest?

    Reply
  34. Janet

    Something to do with cooking, a way of measuring perhaps??
    or……
    Possibly to be placed inside of a baking dish to
    let steam escape without causing “bubble over” ??

    Reply
  35. Chrissie Reese

    Dipping ink pen rest

    Reply
  36. shirley

    Spoon or knife rest? Possibly weight for table cloth.
    Shirley

    Reply
  37. Francesca

    Tongue Scrapers… 🙂

    Reply
  38. Curtains in my Tree

    OMGosh how fun I can’t wait to find out what the heck they are,
    since his Mother used them often it has to be something for the kitchen? maybe crust weights ?
    looks like they attach to something? are they a handle for a cooking pot?

    Reply
  39. The Bold Soul

    OK, process of elimination:
    – not knife rests
    – not the right shape to be glove or shoe stretchers
    – can’t imagine them being heated up because they’re glass, although I could be wrong about that
    – also glass seems impractical for a door stop, although that was an interesting idea
    I’m wondering if they were used, along with some soap, to scrub the stains out of clothing?
    Either that or… an early “loofa”, to rub out the cellulite on your thighs?

    Reply
  40. Patti

    They are used to wedge daintily under your dinner plate so the gravy from the mashed potatoes doesn’t get into your peas!

    Reply
  41. Emma {Vintage Magpie}

    This is a tough one!
    Is it something to do with warming plates? You put them under each of the plates while warming so they are quicker to warm in the oven?
    I know its going to be obvious once you tell us!
    Such Fun x

    Reply
  42. Debbie Z.

    I think it was possibly an antique garlic press. The two glass sides were hinged together and pressed down to crush a clove of garlic.

    Reply
  43. brandtcomm@earthlink.net

    I’d say these could be feet under a pot for plants, to keep them up off the table or floor.

    Reply
  44. Amylia Grace

    Could be used to keep drink cold in lieu of ice cubes? Or could be heated or chilled as needed to warm the baby’s milk in a bottle without diluting it?

    Reply
  45. Nancy in AZ

    Are they tongue depressors, used to see if a little boy has a sore throat?

    Reply
  46. Franca Bollo

    Elevator shoes, bien sûr.

    Reply
  47. mimi

    My mother used something similar to this but it was pink plastic. She would attach her curtain rod to it and slide it through the top opening of the curtain. This prevented the rod from tearing the curtain.
    Just a guess.

    Reply
  48. Ycha

    I know! I know!
    A lobster’s full body protector vest!
    Hugs
    Ycha

    Reply
  49. Victoria Ramos

    some strange ash tray?

    Reply
  50. Tracy

    Hand warmer

    Reply
  51. Joy

    Either weights to keep preserved fruit/veg under the preserving liquid or they are placed at the bottom of a milk pan to prevent milk from boiling over.

    Reply
  52. martina

    Just thought of another possible use:
    For babies to ease teething pain. it would be chilled before being put in baby’s mouth.

    Reply
  53. Leigh NZ

    Let’s see…
    FH’s mother used them back in the day. They are utilitarian in design and I think would have been used in the kitchen. One is stamped Brevete S.G.D.G an old French Patent mark.
    They are both a little different and look as though they would have attached/hinged to
    something…they look like handles with ridges to grip; perhaps to lift hot ramekins from a Bain Marie or hot oven.

    Reply
  54. Jill Flory

    My first thought was an old version of ice pack. Then I thought maybe it was a door stop.

    Reply
  55. Leigh NZ

    Just thought that they could also have been used to lift hot glass jars/lids when making preserves.

    Reply
  56. Leigh NZ

    My mother has just said she thinks they were kept cold in order to work pastry dough to keep it cool instead of heating the pastry up when using hands/fingers to press the dough into a pie or flan dish.

    Reply
  57. Karen S

    A spoon/knife rest

    Reply
  58. Dawn Fleming

    Were these used to crush small amounts of ice? In the 60’s & early 70’s my mom used to like to crush small amounts of ice to put in a dish to keep butter cold or shrimp cold for individual shrimp cocktails.

    Reply
  59. Tracy

    Something for waving hair?

    Reply
  60. Lynne

    I haven’t a clue . . . can that be a guess . . . for some reason they reminded me of what was used to clip on mittens to a child’s coat . . . other . . . crazy, no clue . . .

    Reply
  61. Mahala

    I think it is something you put in the bottom of a pot of water or milk to help it boil.

    Reply
  62. Stephanie M.

    We’re they used in a bird cage somehow? They remind me of the vintage water and seed holders.

    Reply
  63. Nancy in Solana Beach

    This has been bugging me all day. Is it an old fashioned tatting shuttle for making lace?

    Reply
  64. Carole

    I believe these were used to hold your knife at your dinner plate setting……..when it was used and buttered, or greasy, or whatever the knife was used for, it was placed on this angled little holder……???

    Reply
  65. Judi

    They are tongue depressors to block speech. You stick one in the mouth of *insert challenging relative’s name here* and then YOU won’t be “depressed”.

    Reply
  66. Margaret

    It’s a Mime remote control! Ha!

    Reply
  67. Karen Mitcham-Stoeckley

    Hair crimpers!

    Reply
  68. jend’isère

    Leigh, those intials mean “without guarantee of the government”. Perhaps issuing a rather non-patent warning?

    Reply
  69. Irene Thomas

    A ribbon crimper….

    Reply
  70. France Forever 24/7

    Used to crimp the edge of pastry crusts before baking ?

    Reply
  71. Leigh NZ

    For some reason this guessing game has really got me going!
    I’m pretty sure that they are detachable glass handles (cool glass) that attached to a metal clip type frame used to lift a hot pot or pan. The solid glass handle is heat resistant and came in different sizes. I think that Flameware also made similar ones years ago to lift hot Pyrex bowls and pots.

    Reply
  72. double d

    A shoe horn

    Reply
  73. jody

    an organizational item for the sewing box, to wrap ribbons around and keep them from being tangled.
    my husband said one looks like a screw and also one like a wedge of some sort (for food).
    xoxo jody and sammy

    Reply
  74. Claudia

    ‘Brevene S. G. O. E.’ might be Brevene Sporting Goods and Outdoor Equipment? Shoe scrapers? (I didn’t read all the other comments, so excuse this if someone already guesses this answer.)

    Reply
  75. Jan

    I love this game! Could it be for darning socks? Can’t wait to get the answer.

    Reply
  76. Merisi in Vienna

    Without peeking at the thousands of comments already left, my guess is these were used to stamp small bricks of butter.

    Reply
  77. kristin

    For scolding French children for not doing their homework…
    But seriously, Something to do with pastry sounds right.

    Reply
  78. Sue Blossom

    Perhaps something on which to rest a hot hair crimper or curler to protect the dressing table from burns??

    Reply
  79. Sher

    Spoon and knife rests – but I see someone already beat me to it 🙂

    Reply
  80. Fqlevin

    I think spoon or knife rests, but the inscription confuses. Vanves is one of our all-time favorite brocantes especially since the tram was completed.

    Reply
  81. Janet

    Nancy I waked this morning thinking of the shuttle.
    I remembered my grandmother using a wooden one that
    seemed very similar.

    Reply
  82. Janis

    Maybe these were placed under the feet of an armoire to keep it from tipping forward….but glass?

    Reply
  83. Judith

    false teeth for the family donkey – or rest for the carving set, knife and fork and for the sharpening steel

    Reply
  84. Jennifer

    I think they were used to help open a tight lid on a jar. The ridges are spaced to fit different sizes of jars, and the shape is easy to hold with one’s hand.

    Reply
  85. Nancy from Mass

    A juicing reamer? (you rub the citrus up and down the ridges to juice the fruit).
    Something created so Corey could have guessing games 70 years later? 🙂

    Reply
  86. Violet Cadburry

    Christmas tree ornaments? Pie crust weights?

    Reply
  87. Claudia

    Brevete S.G.O.G. (Brevete indicates that the design of this item incorporates a patent claimed by Blanchon. Sans Garantie du Gouvernement is a disclaimer required by the government of France stating that it does not guarantee enforcement of the claimed patent. 1844-1968.) Blanchon made ‘toy arms’ and perhaps clocks. But what is this?

    Reply
  88. Amy Kortuem

    a knife or fork rest at the table?

    Reply
  89. Claudia

    Whoops. ‘Brevete’ just means patented..

    Reply
  90. Megan

    maybe a foot massager? stand on them, rub feet on them for acupuncture-like therapy?

    Reply
  91. Claudia

    Crystal placecard holders for a table setting?

    Reply
  92. Carol Crawford

    How about a spoon rest?

    Reply
  93. SusieQ

    I immediately thought they might be used as some sort of weight – like to weigh down a drapery or keep a table cloth in place. You know, some little pocket sewn into the corner, then slip in the glass thing-a-ma-jig, and voila – even the strongest breezes in France could not blow away your picnic cloth or flutter your curtains!

    Reply
  94. Marjorie Sue

    If the ridges are the under side and it’s smooth on the top, the hand could be used to press down on pastry or flour noodle dough to make strips? The indention on one end could be used as some kind of guide? ’tis a puzzlement!

    Reply
  95. Jennifer

    My son thought they looked a little like small hand held scrubbers for laundry, you know like the larger wash boards? I was thinking something from the kitchen.

    Reply
  96. Linda

    Test

    Reply
  97. La Contessa

    For darning socks!

    Reply
  98. Laura @ 52 FLEA

    They look like glass beetles!
    My first thought was for darning silk stockings…but really I have no idea! Fun.

    Reply
  99. Brenda, Walker, LA

    some type of sewing machine attachments….and even perhaps they were used to darn the fingertips of gloves and mittens ect…

    Reply
  100. mary

    A knife rest 🙂

    Reply
  101. Carol

    I have no idea what the name of these might be, haven’t read all the comments and imagine I’m too late, but my guess is that these were chilled and used to keep beverages in a glass cooled rather than ice cubes which would dilute the beverage.

    Reply
  102. Lr.

    for helping to make pin curls in her hair?

    Reply
  103. Marie-Noëlle

    You’ve managed to get me puzzled there !!! Anyhow here are a couple of ideas:
    – Could it be something that helps keeping threads apart (so that they do not mess together)?
    – Could it be sort of warm-ups (that could be placed in gloves or socks) ?
    I’ve read most ideas from your readers… Hmm… very good guesses !!!
    xo

    Reply
  104. Liz

    I may be too late to comment about these weird little glass things (which slightly give me the creeps as they have a carapace back to them!). But, here’s my penneth worth. I think they may be to stop milk boiling over. As they’re glass, and ridgy, they will be heat proof and once the milk starts to boil, they will probably rattle around a bit in the pan to alert to cook. It’s a wild guess, but when French husband said he remembered his mother using them, I thought they have to be something everyday. This was a good one though Corey! Had us all guessing!

    Reply
  105. Dianne Smith

    Could it be a cigarette rest?

    Reply
  106. Dianne Smith

    And the metal rack is for cutting pies. I love flea marketing. I have one from a restaraunt, not as ornamental. I did not see an answer and comments were closed.

    Reply
  107. Pocket Knives

    It looks like an ice.

    Reply
  108. Dana

    OMG What is the answer?

    Reply

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