Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

French Antique Guessing Game

French Antique Guessing Game

 

Every now and then, or I should say whenever I find an antique that I have no idea what it is, or at least think you might not know what it is, I have a French Antique Guessing Game.

 

The little object (photo above) caught my eye because a friend (Cannot say her name because then she might guess it and that would be an unfair clue.) asked me to find her one. I thought I had found what my friend wanted me to find, only to be told that it wasn't what I thought it was.

 

 

Guessing Game item

 

And right then and there I bought it, did a happy dance, looked like a ding dong, and knew, just knew, made a bet with myself that none of you are going to guess it this time!

 

So let the guessing begin:

Leave your guess, as many guesses as you want, in the comment section, or by email, the first person to guess it will win some French chocolates. Also the person who I deem has the most creative response will also win some chocolates.

The correct guess must state exactly what it is used for. Not part of what it is. 

Look closely at the photos.

I am giving way way way too many clues!

 

Guessing game stumper

 

 

If there isn't a winner tomorrow I will give a clue or two.

 

Happy Guessing Chickadees!

Comments

89 responses to “French Antique Guessing Game”

  1. Helene

    Whatever it is, this piece has very charming qualities. I think it might have hung from a chatelaine’s ring of useful household objects because it starts with that closed loop. The slide lets it open to pinch something and then close down on it to hold tight. The tiny hands are the most delicate with their ruffle cuffs and praying composure. I think it is a tube turner. That is the device that you slide into the newly sewn tube to grab the top seam and pull the whole tube inside out which will enclose the seam and be ready to use.
    Instead of chocolates, may I please have the tube turner?

    Reply
  2. Susan young

    It’s a feather tweezer
    , to pluck out the finest , most colorful feathers to use in women’s hats. 1800s.

    Reply
  3. Carolyn M.

    I also think it goes on a chatelaine. It’s clearly for picking up Tic Tac’s.

    Reply
  4. Julia – Vintage with Laces

    It’s a sheet music holder that gets attached to the music instrument.

    Reply
  5. Claudia

    It’s a pllucker… for plucking feathers from poultry
    It could also be used to pull feathers out of down pillows and comforters… you know when the little feather ends start to stick through the fabric

    Reply
  6. Franca Bollo

    Duh … it’s a roach clip.

    Reply
  7. Patti

    I like Helene’s… It would be so handy as a tube turner! Perhaps is was used by a lady-in-waiting to pluck the eyebrows of a princess….

    Reply
  8. Franca Bollo

    And I want it.

    Reply
  9. Kit

    It is for stamp collectors to handle their stamp collection. It’s very important not to touch mint stamps with your fingers, so you have to use tongs or tweezers. These are the perfect size for picking up little stamps and easing them into your stamp album.

    Reply
  10. Claudia

    Or a milliner’s tool to place quills in a hat

    Reply
  11. Janet Stauffacher

    It’s a name place card holder with a napkin ring. You roll the napkin and put it in the hoop and then put the place card with a name on it in the little clip. You slide the ring up to hold it in place.
    My first thought was a bodkin, but the ring is to big, I think.
    I want it, too.

    Reply
  12. Sue

    I think it’s an instrument used to pluck feathers. The round portion held a magnifying glass.

    Reply
  13. Shannon

    Is it to help clasp a bracelet? You use it to grab one end of a bracelet to hold it in place so that you can clasp the ends together. Did that make sense? LOL.

    Reply
  14. Carol Crawford

    Holds tiny feathers/ fibers for delicate painting, such as feathers. .

    Reply
  15. Diogenes

    ok you stole my guess! we are on the same page, lol.

    Reply
  16. Amelia D

    It’s a sugar cube tong.

    Reply
  17. sharon

    i think it’s a magical bubble blower. you put the round end into the soapy water and when you blow through the circle a big wonderful iridescent bubble comes out and the little magical hands clap and clap for you! i am positive this is what it is!!

    Reply
  18. becky up a hill

    Babies’ Circumcision. That is all I am going to say.

    Reply
  19. Claudia

    C’est une ‘manche a gigot’ or antique ‘bone holder’. The implement clamps onto the bone of poultry for elegant handling and are additional to one’s normal flatware setting.

    Reply
  20. Dawn Fleming

    Is it used to pull a child’s baby tooth out before there were dentists? If the child’s tooth was loose, this would be used to pull it out.

    Reply
  21. Laura Lee Johnston

    To me it looks similar to a gadget I have for pulling ribbon, twill tape, cord,or even elastic through a sewn casing in order to make a draw string. It certainly is prettier than mine.

    Reply
  22. an

    A napkin holder? The ring hangs on a button or similar and the hands grip the heavy linen napkin. A la Poirot.

    Reply
  23. An

    Help! How do I remove my email address ?

    Reply
  24. julie

    Hankerchief holder comes to mind…but so does roach clip!

    Reply
  25. Claudia

    Another guess… it’s to wear on a necklace and it holds an important note for easy reference.
    Or it’s a combination napkin ring and name card holder.

    Reply
  26. Sue

    A sewing or embroidery tool for stuffing feathers in batting materials? Did the loop ever have a magnifying glass in it? Pretty little thing.

    Reply
  27. Sue

    Could the loop end tie onto the end of a tablecloth on a table, outdoors, and the hands end tightened up to hold some sort of weights to keep the tablecloth from flying around for picnics outdoors? 😉 OK, so it’s a long shot! hahaaa

    Reply
  28. Sue

    It reminded me of a sugar cube holder, for selecting a cube to put into tea, but I’m not sure how the round end would function if that’s the case.

    Reply
  29. Lr.

    Is it for a pinch of snuff?

    Reply
  30. Sue

    Does it hold name cards on the table?

    Reply
  31. Sue

    OK, so you hold the loop end and put seeds in the hands end of it and reach out to feed birds with it.

    Reply
  32. Sue

    Is it used for bird banding??

    Reply
  33. Massilianana

    C’est facile Corey ! It is a mini hoop that belonged to a mini circus for mini lions to jump through (could be set on fire or not, like in any regular size circus).The hand end was planted firmly in the circus ring ground. It used to be sold in a lovely box along with at least fifty mini magnifiers ( almost impossible to find in a brocante , because they were quite fragile) sometimes even eighty. Told you : easy one ! :o)

    Reply
  34. Alicia

    This is for holding love letters sent from a scoundrel as you are holding them to the flame to burn away their unhappy memories.

    Reply
  35. Sue

    Is it a device for making a feather fan? You place feathers into the device, tighten at the top and “fan” with the loop end?

    Reply
  36. Sue

    ps–when I said “fan with the loop end” I meant hold it at the loop end and fan with the feathers?

    Reply
  37. Sue

    The more I look at it, the more I think it could be for making a feather fan. You place the feathers into the long end, pull up the little lever to tighten them in the “hands,” and then hold the loop end to gently fan yourself?

    Reply
  38. Deb

    An elegant way to pluck a chicken??

    Reply
  39. Carol

    It’s used to turn the fingers of gloves after they have been stitched together.

    Reply
  40. Tongue in Cheek

    Hi An
    I fixed it. Your address doesn’t show.

    Reply
  41. martina

    It is to place beauty marks on the face ala Marie Antoinette (before the Revolution of course). The loop is for the little finger, so the tool is easier to maneuver. Or to put little bits of pimiento in olives.

    Reply
  42. Beth

    A program holder for formal events such as opera, so one doesn’t soil her gloves with ink.

    Reply
  43. Violet Cadburry

    It is a nose hair plucker.

    Reply
  44. paula s in new mexico

    It is used to clip the hands on a button loop. This way you can grasp the ring to pull the loop around the button and not mess up delicate nails or a pretty manicure.

    Reply
  45. Jeannie

    I think it might be an entomologist’s tool. I think they used them to hold specimen’s for examination or before they stuck the pins in them to hold them in the display boxes.

    Reply
  46. Marilyn

    I have no idea or guess, but now curious to know.

    Reply
  47. Kathy

    I think this is part of a châtelaine. The ring goes on the châtelaine and the ‘little hands’ can be used for picking up all sorts of objects
    Kathy

    Reply
  48. Franca Bollo

    If I win, I’ll split my chocolate with you.

    Reply
  49. Suzanne Lee

    I think it is a sewing bodkin, used to turn pull strings thru casings.

    Reply
  50. Jennifer

    I think this is a tool to grab feathers or down, and then stuff them into the corners of pillows or an eiderdown.
    Or:
    This is a tool to hold a hook tightly while you glue small feathers to the hook for fly fishing.
    Or:
    This tool was used to hold feathers in a woman’s hair. The tool would be braided/through the loop at the bottom so it would stay in her hair, and the hands at the top would hold the feathers securely so they wouldn’t fall out of her hairdo.

    Reply
  51. Barbara Costa

    used for buttons where a lady can’t reach

    Reply
  52. Claudia

    At a dance, you looped a sash or belt through the ring and the silver hands clasped your dance card while you danced, so that you had both hands free for the dance.

    Reply
  53. nan johnson

    Hi I think the open circle slides on to a rod and the hand clip holds a curtain. of course you would need a few more nan

    Reply
  54. Cara

    Perhaps a match holder to reach into lamps to light them?

    Reply
  55. Claudia

    Oh Corey, this is a difficult one.
    From the hints in the pics (and some internet research gone astray somehow) I daresay that this is a pair of tweezers used to pluck single tousled or broken feathers off the plumage of a chicken that is meant to participate at a poultry show, so that the plumage appears flawless.
    or – but that has been said and wouldn’t normally occur to a vegetarian 😉
    Tweezers to pull out leftover shafts out of the poultry before preparing them for a meal.
    or
    Tweezers to stuff a fairy cushion (you know, you will only need a few down feathers, but the cushion is sooo small that it’s hard to stuff without a special instrument).

    Reply
  56. Veronica

    maybe a feather straightener or stripper

    Reply
  57. christine in sacramento

    A zipper puller ?

    Reply
  58. Kit

    OK another wild guess. Those hands look like they are praying, so how about a tiny candle snuffer for putting out miniature prayer candles?

    Reply
  59. jend’isère

    To delicately twist the end with wax of handlebar mustaches. Bien sur, men can have interesting accessories as well.

    Reply
  60. Lynne

    Is it used to stretch the fingers of gloves????

    Reply
  61. Carolyn from Pittsburgh

    A sign holder to hold small price signs in between
    small stacks of food or merchandise.

    Reply
  62. Maryjane

    The object hangs on the side of a pickle castor and is used for removing pickles from the jar . I have a Victorian silver pickle castor with almost an identical object. It could also be used for sugar cubes.

    Reply
  63. Robin

    Your hint leads me to believe birds are involved so I’ll make two guesses. 1. holds a goose’s throat open during the fois gras stuffing of the bird. 2. Holds birds feet together (but why I have no idea!.

    Reply
  64. Lyn

    I have no idea, but how wonderful to read all of your imaginative guesses!!!

    Reply
  65. Beverly

    I think it is used to hang a piece of art, or something to be displayed. Put the piece that you want to display in the little open hands and then slide down the little slider to tighten the hands grip. The top circle is used to hang it on something.
    French chocolates??!!!!! Did you say French Dark chocolates?!! Favorite!:-)

    Reply
  66. Joan

    This was used by deaf people in France during the 18th century. They would write a little note saying “I am deaf” and put it between the hands, sliding the slider up to hold the note tight. Then they would slip it onto their finger so their hands would be free to do whatever and if they needed to “flash” their deaf sign it was easy to do with the flick of a hand!

    Reply
  67. Lil

    Used to hold a quill pen. The ring can be worn on a finger or used to hang the quill on a hook.

    Reply
  68. Jennie

    I am going way the other way. French kids often pass lice around. I think it is a little tweezers for plucking lice from adorable French heads.

    Reply
  69. La Contessa

    To assist the buttons on gloves!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  70. Rae Lange

    is it used for picking out a piece of chocolate from the chocolate box?

    Reply
  71. Missy

    I haven’t looked back at the previous comments so It may have already been guessed. I think it is a monocle… Worn clipped to a chain so that you could easily reach it to look thru. I think I saw it used once in a 1930’s film with Leslie Howard ( Scarlet Pimpernel)…………..
    Missy from the bayou

    Reply
  72. carolyn

    Instruments used for mounting butterflies in cases or frames.

    Reply
  73. Julie Postle

    Could it be a zipper pull tool? It’s very cute, no matter what it is. 🙂

    Reply
  74. Marlene Brady

    Attaches to a chatelaine to delicately hold a lace hanky. -Marlene

    Reply
  75. Cindy

    I’ll give it a shot……..The ring is slipped over one’s index finger and the small hand is placed on a page of delicate material such as onion skin documents, pages of precious books/Bibles or collections of stamps, antique fabrics or whatever. The little slide is slid down to grasp these items and the finger with the hoop picks them up carefully or turns the material without getting any oil from a human hand on these fragile things. These were not used by just anyone, but by people who had been trained to have that delicate, caring touch and operate them with elegance and sophistication. If we were to see one used today by a trained individual, we would be awed and impressed with such beautiful, graceful movement!

    Reply
  76. Rebecca from the pacific northwest

    Franca Bollo, now we need to get together not only to enjoy wine but to enjoy this … clip.

    Reply
  77. Jennifer

    Ok, here is my new guess. This tool was used by a doctor or a nurse. It is used to hold a piece of cotton, or cloth over a patient’s nose in order to sedate the patient.
    Or, this was a tool sold with sleeping powder. One would use the tool to grab just enough sleeping powder, then release the powder into water and mix, then drink.
    Or, even though it was already guessed, after one rolled a joint and smoked most of it, they would open the hands, place the last of the joint in the hands, carefully tighten the hands just to hold the joint, and then smoke the last of the joint holding the ring in their hand. Hence, the roach clip!

    Reply
  78. Mahala

    It looks like a tool you would put your cigarette into the end and slide the round piece in the center up to close the hands tight. then one would hold the circle as they smoked.

    Reply
  79. plus.google.com/110812564012171852247

    Is it used for stamp collecting?

    Reply
  80. Priscilla

    Is it for holding a choir gown in a church setting?

    Reply
  81. Priscilla

    Or was it a tool that had to do with prayer or church?

    Reply
  82. WendyW

    Is it used by a bartender to put ice in your glass?
    Or a barrister to put a cube of sugar in your cup of coffee.
    Or is it to pick up crumbs from a table?
    Or a seamstress to pick up threads from her sewing?
    Or by a conductor to turn the pages of music?
    I can’t wait to hear the correct answer!!!! Thanks Corey for stumping us!

    Reply
  83. Vicki from Willows

    Hello Corey . Is it a Glove Clip ?? Greetings from Willows 🙂

    Reply
  84. vida

    Holding or picking up butterflies? Vida

    Reply
  85. Robin

    Okay, I will try again – does it hold a needle for threading? Pull a child’s tooth?

    Reply
  86. Sarah Webb

    Is it used to attach fake eyelashes?!

    Reply
  87. Constance Durham

    …. the ring goes on a finger, while the pincher hands hold a cigarette???……………

    Reply
  88. Brenda Roberts

    I will guesss that it is used to make ruffled sleeves – you put the cord or elastic between the little hands, tighten it up, then run the cord through the fabric hem, having tied the other end of the cord through the circle. When the cording comes through, you open the little hands, untie the tied end, pull the fabric back out of the device, the cord or elastic stays in, and you have a ruffle!

    Reply
  89. Mahala

    I was correct! Good guessing game.

    Reply

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