Does anyone know what this is????

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  • April 04, 2020 7:26 PM
    Message # 8879302
    Deleted user

    Found in a box of layout tools (small compasses, dividers and small force like vise tweezers) from my great grand father (Swedish cabinet maker). He worked for several years during WWII at Mare Island Shipyard building scale models of the battleships built there. I suspect it had something to do with his model building...



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  • April 05, 2020 12:28 AM
    Reply # 8879483 on 8879302

    maybe something to do with scaling things down to model size? 



  • April 05, 2020 9:36 AM
    Reply # 8879767 on 8879302
    Tom Shirley (Administrator)

    If you blow in the blunt end does it make a noise?  I'm wondering if it is a pitch pipe. The markings look like a musical scale.

  • April 05, 2020 2:04 PM
    Reply # 8880055 on 8879302
    Tim Holiner (Administrator)

    Tom is onto it. It is the musical scale. The "is" instead of sharp or #. For some reason, the "B" is represented by an "H". It is almost certainly a tunable pitch pipe, probably for tuning clavichords.

    Last modified: April 05, 2020 2:06 PM | Tim Holiner (Administrator)
  • April 06, 2020 6:40 AM
    Reply # 8881147 on 8879302
    Tom Shirley (Administrator)

    I have to confess, my grandfather was a collector of antiques and he had what he called a "What's-it" table where he placed unusual things and things for which that he did not know the use.  As a child this table fascinated me.  There was one of these on that table.

    Last modified: April 08, 2020 7:08 AM | Tom Shirley (Administrator)
  • April 06, 2020 2:55 PM
    Reply # 8882186 on 8879302
    Deleted user

    @Dana- Yea, that is my assumption, but how does it work?

    The Whistle idea I had and it makes no more noise than blowing through a tube.

    Also the vane part is relatively hard to move, though it is clearly intended to move from side to side.

  • April 06, 2020 2:56 PM
    Reply # 8882187 on 8879302
    Deleted user

    Tom, if you follow the Vintage Tool Shoppe in NH, their weekly email has a Whatzit section and I have submitted this to them.

  • April 07, 2020 6:47 AM
    Reply # 8883278 on 8879302
    Tom Shirley (Administrator)

    Bill, thanks for the tip. I just signed up.  I bet this has been abused and the part that makes the sound has been dislodged.  It also looks like the point that protrudes from the top has been modified a little. It looks like it has been sharpened.

  • April 07, 2020 7:29 AM
    Reply # 8883350 on 8879302
    Deleted user

    This is the other end. Has the look of a whistle...

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  • April 07, 2020 7:32 AM
    Reply # 8883351 on 8879302
    Deleted user

    Very good! It is even the example on the Wikipedia page for pitch pipes!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_pipe

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