Twelve strange things that are shocking people on the internet

You may have found a strange item while cleaning out the house of an elderly relative. Or maybe you got something from a grandparent that you have no idea what it means. When we are interested in something, there is only one thing we can do: ask the Internet. It’s never been easier to find the answers. In the past, we might have had to read books and talk to experts on the phone. Here are 12 things whose names shocked the people who asked:

 

1. Beautiful Bubble

 

The writing on the glass says “1978” and it is insanely heavy and has (bubbles?) inside. Do you know what this is or is it just an odd piece of decor?
As u/NightmareResolved said, the answer is: It looks like a book weight. When learning how to blow glass, this is often one of the first things that people make. As the glass gathers and folds over itself, bubbles form. In the end, most of the time, people try to avoid making bubbles.

2. Wooden Instrument

A thick, round stick made of wood that has a cylinder shape on one end.
What did u/dvdmaven say? It could be used with a Singing Bell. I have one. The bell starts to ring when you lightly rub the stick around the edge. You may have seen the same thing happen with wine cups.

3. Sphere Inside A Wooden Case

 

Strange glass ball hanging from screws in a metal frame that looks like it’s bronze or gold in colour.
What did u/tharookery say? Campbell-Stokes sunshine camera that is what it is. Put a piece of card into one of the grooves in the piece that bends behind the sphere. Then, point the sphere’s other side towards the equator, and the sphere will focus the light on the card, burning a track on it. There are hours written on the card, and the sun is brighter the more the card is burned.

4. Handling Glass

Found something made of stainless steel while cleaning out a lab. Has a diamond stamp with a “H” on it.
The answer, given by u/JJ_00ne, is: It cuts through glass tubes! It was used a lot in chemistry class.

5. Leather Flowers

 

This thing is about 15″ long and made of leather. Thoughts?
How to answer (by u/kicktree500): The shape of it reminds me of a bag tail. u/fubooze also found the exact bag model: Goatskin leather with a medium quilted grommet from Marc Jacobs Big Nomad Hobo Brown

6. Special Ring

 

This ring was found in my backyard while I was digging. It doesn’t look like a normal ring anymore after I cleaned it. Thoughts?
What did u/batbrat say? It’s a grief ring from the Georgian or early Victorian era. The letters are for the person who was lost. Most of the time, they were made of 18k or higher gold and black lacquer. It looks like yours was made between 1820 and 1940.

7. Leaning Glass

 

Going through old kitchenware at the house of my boyfriend’s grandparents. I found a candle made of glass that had a coil on it. What is this that hasn’t been touched in decades?
MothTheLamplighter gave the correct answer: Someone else already said it’s a whisky or cigar case, but here’s how it works. You’d put the neck of the bottle on the coil and pour, turning the glass as you pour to coat the inside and let the smells escape. To help warm the liquor, you could put a lit cigar in the coil, or you could just use it to store things.

8. Porcelain Package

 

Something made of ceramic with a lid, a small spoon, and what looks like a place for a heat source.
What did u/CheerioMissPancake say? It is a small warming dish. Put something you want to keep warm in the pot and then put a tea light in the frame. I think it would be good for a dip or maybe gravy based on its size.

9. Glass-craft

 

What is this thing that my grandparents gave me? I know it’s Scandinavian, over 40 years old, made of glass, spoon-shaped, hollow, and about 1 m tall.
What did u/MusicianPristine8973 say? It seems to be called a “glasslev,” which Google translates to “glass ladle.”

10. Weird Wooden Box

 

What kind of old, hand-made wooden box with slants and holes is this?
How to answer (by u/KryptosBC): These kinds of curved corner pieces are often put in slots so it’s easy to get small pieces like buttons, coins, corn, nuts and so on that would otherwise get stuck in the corners. Coin pockets in the drawer of a cash register are a good example. It’s possible that this was used for bolts, nuts, and screws in some places.

11. Car Parts

 

In Ohio, clips or springs were found in a junk box. It looks like it’s made of stainless steel. Penny is there to show how big things are. The bottom right corner shows that it loses its shape when the ends are pushed together. Maybe I squished in the wrong way. I’m not sure why I should keep them.
What did u/velifer say? These springs are from a car’s brake pads that haven’t been used yet. Do you own a Subaru? Most of the time, a second set comes with extra pads, but people throw those away.

12. Lucky Charm

I found this little thing while I was cleaning a couch. It’s gold and made of very thin material that you can see through in some places.
What did u/MaryN6FBB110117 say? What is it? A “lucky talisman” in feng shui. Like these. Or an Omamori card from Japan. It’s a lucky charm either way.