Monday Mystery Artifact
"Pretty good - we had the in-laws over, though. Kinda nice to be back at the factory."
"Yep. Well, I guess we'd better fire things up here and get going."
"Yeah, I'll start the boiler up, here. Hey, since you're standing over there, could you hand me the firestarter?
The firestarter was a tankard filled with a liquid fuel, containing a rod with a porous charcoal-like "egg" on the end. A user would remove the rod with the fuel-saturated "egg," light the "egg," and use the resultant large flame to start a fire in such industrial machines as a boiler or perhaps a kiln or forge. A hole in the tankard's handle permits the firestarter to hang safely out of the way on a nail in the wall.
The firestarter was probably used in a factory or industrial setting and not a home, where a match safe on the wall would suffice to light the stove. As a onetime workplace item, the firestarter evokes the long-ago Ypsilanti workers who once used it, a fitting remembrance this Labor Day.
This week had no correct guesses, but one reader, goblue18, gets honorable mention for the ingenious suggestion of "chocolate drink maker." In fact, vintage chocolate drink makers look almost precisely like this firestarter. They're usually a bit smaller, and consist of a tankard and a rod with a (solid, not porous) bulb on the end with which to whip the chocolate. This is an extremely ancient device--the Aztecs used a similar device to make chocolate drinks. You can see a beautiful copper chocolate maker here.
Today's Mystery Artifact is less luxurious. It's something almost every lady of a certain time used every day. Can you guess what it might be and in which room of the house you might find it? Take your best chance--the answer will be posted next Monday!
WINNER'S LIST: 8/3/09: erksnerks 8/10/09: Larissa 8/17/09: no winner 8/24/09: erksnerks, second win 8/31/09: erksnerks, third win; Larissa, second win 9/7/09: no winner; honorable mention to goblue18
Mystery Artifact is published every Monday on AnnArbor.com.
Comments
erksnerks
Thu, Sep 10, 2009 : 9:08 a.m.
Hi Laura, Yes we buttonhook folks have to stick together. Even if it isn't a button hook, its a buttonhook. :) Just read a book about making shoes by hand... wow.
Laura Bien
Wed, Sep 9, 2009 : 7:43 a.m.
Hi erksnerks: thank you so much for returning and adding your comment! My, you "buttonhook" people seem awfully confident of your choice. We'll see next Monday whether that confidence is warranted or not. :)
erksnerks
Wed, Sep 9, 2009 : 7:40 a.m.
Button Hook! I have a couple from my Greats. There shoes were so tiny and the buttons even tinier. Glad to see the site is taking comments now, having been down since Monday early AM. How awesome the fire starter. I should have paid attention to your clue about the substance of the "Bulb" Cheers, erksnerks
Laura Bien
Tue, Sep 8, 2009 : 4:56 p.m.
Lots of good guesses here from Ed, Janice, Larissa, cmadler, and a nice comment from redeye--thank you! I see two different guesses; perhaps there are other possibilities as well? Good ideas thus far! Answer next Monday!
Laura Bien
Tue, Sep 8, 2009 : 4:45 p.m.
Comment submitted on my blog from cmadler: "some sort of crochet hook."
Laura Bien
Tue, Sep 8, 2009 : 4:44 p.m.
Comment submitted on my facebook page from Janice Anschuetz: "It could be the button hook that we donated."
Laura Bien
Tue, Sep 8, 2009 : 4:43 p.m.
Comment submitted on my facebook page from Larissa Miller: "hmmm. Buttonhook!"
redeye
Tue, Sep 8, 2009 : 4:22 p.m.
If a village blacksmith wanted to light one fire from another, he could just step outside and pick up a twig. The firestarter gives me an impression of a very industrial setting. It's all inorganic, ceramic and metal. It suggests a world of brick, iron, and soot, a factory in a neighborhood of factories. And maybe no stepping outside, either. A cool artifact. Thanks!