The stream of strange antique objects seems never ending! There are so many old tools that look completely foreign to us today. We love coming across these old treasures and trying to figure out what the heck they were used for! Can you figure out what these mystery items are?

Mystery Item #1

This item is made of glass and has little prongs and spout holes all over in an unusual configuration.

What is it?

If you guessed it was a rosewater sprinkler then you are correct. Back in pre-industrial eras rosewater was an expensive and lavish substance which was used not only for cooking and skin care, but as a perfume. Sprinklers like these, also known as almorratxa in Spain (and by many other names around the world) could have been used for a variety of purposes including religious ceremonies.

Mystery Item #2

This next item looks like something medical and it is, but probably not what you’re thinking. This tool dates from around the 16th century, long before many of the most important medical discoveries were made.

What is this object?

If you guessed it was a bullet extractor then hats off to you! As the use of guns became more common, this tool was developed to remove bullets. The handle at the top turns a screw which comes out the bottom at the narrowest point. The screw was supposed to drill into the bullet, gripping it for removal without prying apart the wound.

Mystery Item #3

This next item has some familiar lines and some unfamiliar ones. The sturdy handle is finely made from wood and the tool has 3 prongs – 1 curved and 2 straight.

Think you know what this item was used for?

If you guessed it was a race knife for marking trees then you really know your tools! In the days of manual timber cutting, race knives were used to mark trees and lumber for counting, cutting, or as a carpenter’s mark. More complicated knives like this one could be used for making more elaborate marks, but simpler race knives with fewer cutting edges were also employed.

Mystery Item #4

This next item may look very commonplace to most of us. This metal object looks very much like so many of the kitchen tools that we grew up with. But, this one has a very specific use.

Think you know what this mysterious kitchen tool is for?

If you thought it was a green bean slicer then you are right! It may look like a grinder, but this tool was especially useful around harvest time when canning green beans was the order of the day. Some models would clamp to a table, much like a meat grinder.

Mystery Item #5

This next item also has to do with the kitchen. This one has a lovely design on the handle, but they came in all kinds of shapes and sizes.