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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: samanthadear on August 04, 2012, 12:43:34 AM

Title: What is this?
Post by: samanthadear on August 04, 2012, 12:43:34 AM: I honestly have no idea. I can't even begin to think of its usage, so it's been impossible for me to try to do research on it myself. It is quite heavy and the leaves open and close like they are set on a spring. Help?

(http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af246/sjd889/void0.jpg)

(http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af246/sjd889/IMG_0761.jpg)

Will this make any difference in the value?

(http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af246/sjd889/IMG_0762.jpg)
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: mart on August 04, 2012, 05:36:29 AM: Don`t know how tall this is but I have seen similar as part of a desk set !! For holding letters ect !! This one may be a bit larger from the way it looks in pics !!
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: ghopper1924 on August 04, 2012, 06:30:52 AM: Yep, for holding messages/letters. The replacement work will affect the value, but not tremendously.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: samanthadear on August 04, 2012, 08:25:32 AM: Thank you for responding so quickly. A few more questions. How old do you think it is? And how much do you think it'd be worth (with the replacement work)?
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: mart on August 04, 2012, 08:33:45 AM: That would depend on what it is made of !! Silver or white metal !! Seems like one would have not bothered to repair it if it were made of a poor quality metal !! So likely at least silverplate !! Could date from 20`s to 40`s from the style !!
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: ghopper1924 on August 04, 2012, 02:28:39 PM: That pretty well nails it, I think.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: samanthadear on August 04, 2012, 04:26:05 PM: Neat! I didn't realize it was probably so old. Is there any way to tell what it is made of? There are absolutely no markings on it.

Just out of curiosity, as I am planning on keeping it, what would it be worth if it were silver and what would it be worth if it were silverplated? I'm just looking for a ballpark number. I'm paid $8 at a thrift store, and I'm hoping I got my money's worth. ;D
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: greenacres on August 04, 2012, 11:30:41 PM: It could be something a short order cook used.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: mart on August 05, 2012, 09:00:07 AM: Greenacres, it could be but would be hard to read from the top !! For something like that paper would need to hang vertically !!
Guess at value, if silver plate $20. !!
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: Chris_Marshall on August 05, 2012, 09:16:20 AM: I assume it's a type of wick-candle holder, something barely known nowadays - at least it looks *very* familiar to some I have seen at the museum. The 'candles' (in the end nothing but a wick with a few layers of wax), each a few feet long, were sold in rolled form. One would dump the roll on the table, clamp the wax-coated wick into one of the leaves, then light it. Every now and then one had to manually 're-feed', otherwise the flame would reach the spring-held leaf and get snuffed out ... literally an early version of "snooze mode".
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: cogar on August 06, 2012, 04:39:50 AM: Thanks, Chris, ... it was unknown to me.

I knew it was too elaborate or "fancy" to be a simple utility item but I didn't have a clue as to what its purpose was.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: mart on August 06, 2012, 08:52:03 AM: Where would the wax drip ??
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: Chris_Marshall on August 06, 2012, 09:22:25 AM: mart,

unlike larger candles, the wax-covered wicks barely produce running/dripping wax. Running "wax" (real wax, paraffin, stearin, etc.) is per definition only excess molten material that was not burned up. The wax-covered wicks were very efficient, viewed from that point, but burned down pretty fast.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: mart on August 06, 2012, 09:45:03 AM: Perhaps they should use that method for todays candles !! They make a mess !!
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: samanthadear on August 06, 2012, 10:12:40 AM: That is so neat! I had never seen anything like it, and knew that I needed to have it. I'm a sucker for oddities.

I can't find anything like it online, though I've been searching for it with the keywords "wick-candle holder." Everything that shows up is modern or doesn't look anything like it.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: KC on August 06, 2012, 05:41:12 PM: I have seen items similar to this in the past that were merely memo holders for nice desks. They also made matching hand stamp racks.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: samanthadear on August 07, 2012, 09:17:18 AM: I don't know if anyone noticed this (I just did, and I have it with me in person), but this... thing has three holes in the bottom of it. Like it's meant to be attached to something: a wall or it is a small piece of a larger thing perhaps?
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: ghopper1924 on August 07, 2012, 11:12:22 AM: Perhaps just the desktop, to keep it from getting knocked over.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: KC on August 07, 2012, 07:59:54 PM: My mom laughed and reminded me of a similar stand that her mother had in the guest bath holding finger towels for guests! They had decorative clamps as well.
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: mart on August 07, 2012, 08:04:17 PM: I have seen those KC !!
Title: Re: What is this?
Post by: KC on August 07, 2012, 09:12:30 PM: The only stands that I am reminded of for holding a bare wick are rush lights.
(http://www.oldandinteresting.com/images/standing%20rushlight%20holders.jpg)
(http://www.oldandinteresting.com/images/6%20rush%20light%20holders.jpg)

The rushes were dipped in scalding hot fat or grease and if you were fortunate enough to have some wax to add to it...the light would be so much better!