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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: G.Thomas on April 07, 2014, 11:03:39 am

Title: What is this thing?
Post by: G.Thomas on April 07, 2014, 11:03:39 am
Greetings! My mother-in-law was given this in a box of old odds and ends. Is it a bottle or does something attach to it. With US 40 on it, could it be something military? it appears to be lead or pewter. Not really heavy enough for lead. Any help is greatly appreciated. The US and 40 are stamped in red on the bottom and far side. I'll try and add another pic if I can figure out how! LOL
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: mart on April 07, 2014, 11:06:26 am
Can you take a close up of the bottom !! Look carefully for any marks or writing it may have !! Also need size of it !!
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: G.Thomas on April 07, 2014, 11:43:28 am
No other hallmarks I can see. The piece is approx. 6.5 inches high (that's a standard wine glass in the picture) and about 3 inches at its widest.
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: greenacres on April 07, 2014, 04:18:38 pm
You will laugh. In Philadelphia a 40 would be a beer.  40 ounces.
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: mart on April 07, 2014, 04:48:15 pm
I noticed that when looking for this thing Greenacres !!  I am thinking maybe an oil container but haven't found anything similar !!
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on April 07, 2014, 05:17:36 pm
Thanks for helping on this one gang, G.Thomas is a buddy of mine. He showed this item to me and I'm completely stumped. I figured if anyone could solve this mystery, it would be you guys!
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on April 07, 2014, 05:18:23 pm
G.Thomas, does a magnet stick to it? If so, that would indicate that it is steel or iron.
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: greenacres on April 07, 2014, 05:52:36 pm
Magnets don't stick to stainless steel, I know that. There appears to be some design at the neck of the item. Is there?
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: mart on April 07, 2014, 06:09:14 pm
Need Rauville on this one !! Wondering if it might be a single powder container for a cannon of some sort !! Perhaps older than WWI&II !!  What does this thing weigh approx. ??
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: G.Thomas on April 07, 2014, 07:51:15 pm
It may weight about 8oz. no markings I can find anywhere but the painted numbers. I'll ask my mom-in-law to check for anything else I may have missed.
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: mart on April 07, 2014, 08:00:03 pm
Does it have a pour spout on the top even just an indentation ?? I have looked at several military sites  but am at a loss as what to call it !! Bottle or what ?? Rauville and Cogar are both good at this type thing,,hopefully they will take a look soon !! I am sure curious about it !!  Ebay didn`t have anything similar that I could find either !!
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: greenacres on April 07, 2014, 09:04:10 pm
Two and a half pounds maybe if filled with sand.
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: KC on April 07, 2014, 09:55:05 pm
After being around my brother and all the military this past week...I am thinking military.

They made for a short time a bottle/barbell type grenade WWI and also had a trench mortar that was bottle shape.  AND a gas bottle for toxic gas!  Long neck for ease to throw.  I will send a picture his way to see if he has any ideas.
But found this picture of some German ones from WWI.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Germany_hand_grenades_-_National_World_War_I_Museum_-_Kansas_City%2C_MO_-_DSC07622.JPG/1200px-Germany_hand_grenades_-_National_World_War_I_Museum_-_Kansas_City%2C_MO_-_DSC07622.JPG)

A US one
(http://www.fototime.com/5C1D4AD11CF5B81/orig.jpg)
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: cogar on April 08, 2014, 02:13:32 am
That might have been an oil can or a per se lube bottle with the "40" signifying 40 weight (gear) oil.

Putting oil in a differential is tricky iffen you don't have a pump.

Take a long swab and check for any residue inside of it.
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: mart on April 08, 2014, 08:00:22 am
That was what I thought at first Cogar (oil) but I couldn`t find anything that looked similar !!
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: Rauville on April 08, 2014, 08:04:43 am
My "guess" would be based on the US 40 marking. The only thing I can think of that would relate to that figure would be the size of a US whiskey barrel in gallons. I wonder if this "bottle" was used to measure and dispense a given measure of Distillers Essence in the making of whiskey?

http://www.hillbillystills.com/Southern_Whiskey_p/hssw.htm (http://www.hillbillystills.com/Southern_Whiskey_p/hssw.htm)
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: G.Thomas on April 08, 2014, 08:26:34 am
All great info, folks! Its at my in-laws so itll be awhile til I get my hands on it again and check for more details.
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: mart on April 08, 2014, 09:07:59 am
Well,, it sure has me stumped !! Maybe KC`s brother will have an idea !!
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: cogar on April 08, 2014, 11:09:36 am
.

Thar she blows, ...... no????  ??? ???

.

.

..


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(http://www.retroflashbacks.biz/retro/trumpetmutes.JPG)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-PAIR-TRUMPET-MUTE-VINTAGE-MUTES-ALLOY-AND-FIBER-/130935354190 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-PAIR-TRUMPET-MUTE-VINTAGE-MUTES-ALLOY-AND-FIBER-/130935354190)

Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: greenacres on April 08, 2014, 08:01:49 pm
Rauville, maybe I should have stuck with my first answer. A 40 being a beer or some brew, lol.
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: fancypants on April 08, 2014, 08:57:41 pm
Hmmm don't know for sure , but I'll add my weak guess that it may have been a plumbing 'pig' , perhaps with a 'line & stick' attached , for retrieval from a pipe .....

First impression was that of a pooltable item , though .
Title: Re: What is this thing?
Post by: cogar on April 09, 2014, 01:42:03 am
Quote
First impression was that of a pooltable item , though .

 ;D ;D Great minds think alike.

It sure looked like pill bottle .... but then it wasn't made of leather or plastic.


But I'm still thinking it is a trombone mute.