# What Is It? - #18



## SifuPhil (May 25, 2013)

And here we have Lot #18, a Mystery Antique made of metal, hailing from the late 19[SUP]th [/SUP]century and proudly standing 7-[SUP]1[/SUP]/[SUB]2[/SUB]" high ... 



*What Is It?*


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## rkunsaw (May 25, 2013)

A spice grinder?


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## TWHRider (May 25, 2013)

Spice grinder makes sense as it looks too small to be a meat grinder.

Orrrr, did they have tobacco grinders back in the day?


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## That Guy (May 25, 2013)

It's an ugly music box.


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## SeaBreeze (May 25, 2013)

Can opener?


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## Anne (May 25, 2013)

I'm gonna go with spice grinder also....or coffee grinder???


.


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## SifuPhil (May 25, 2013)

rkunsaw said:


> A spice grinder?



Nope, not a spice grinder.



TWHRider said:


> Spice grinder makes sense as it looks too small to be a meat grinder.
> 
> Orrrr, did they have tobacco grinders back in the day?



They did, but this isn't one of them.



That Guy said:


> It's an ugly music box.



... that only plays ugly music? 

No, sorry, not a music box - *[HINT]* although if you're a fan of what it produces you might become musically inclined ... 



SeaBreeze said:


> Can opener?



No, ma'am, not a can opener.



Anne said:


> I'm gonna go with spice grinder also....or coffee grinder???.



It was designed to grind neither spice nor coffee ...


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## Anne (May 25, 2013)

It;'s an organ grinder!!!    Sorry..........

- - - Updated - - -

 ETA:   A cherry pitter???


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## SifuPhil (May 25, 2013)

Anne said:


> It;'s an organ grinder!!!    Sorry..........





- - - Updated - - -



> ETA:   A cherry pitter???



No, but getting warmer ...


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## Michael. (May 25, 2013)

A Garlic crusher?


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## SifuPhil (May 25, 2013)

Michael. said:


> A Garlic crusher?



No, but good guess ...


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## Michael. (May 25, 2013)

Nutmeg or Corn grinder?


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## SeaBreeze (May 25, 2013)

Olive pitter or juicer (to make olive oil)?


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## SifuPhil (May 25, 2013)

Michael. said:


> Nutmeg or Corn grinder?



Nope, none of those.



SeaBreeze said:


> Olive pitter or juicer (to make olive oil)?



No, but slightly warm ...


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## SeaBreeze (May 25, 2013)

Pinon nut shell remover (to make pine nuts/pesto)?


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## R. Zimm (May 25, 2013)

Apple peeler?

Wait a minute, this is Phil so maybe it's a denutter for small hand held critters?


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## SifuPhil (May 25, 2013)

SeaBreeze said:


> Pinon nut shell remover (to make pine nuts/pesto)?



No, but that's a unique guess!



R. Zimm said:


> Apple peeler?
> 
> Wait a minute, this is Phil so maybe it's a denutter for small hand held critters?



No, not an apple peeler, and although it is NOT a denutter for small hand-held critters I thank you for the compliment. 


I think it's time for a hint ...

*[HINT]*

They're usually brown
But sometimes gold
They're best when pressed
And served real cold


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## SeaBreeze (May 25, 2013)

I'm thinking of a raisin press now, which doesn't make any sense at all.


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## SeaBreeze (May 25, 2013)

Going by your hint, I'm thinking a hops press for making beer?


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## That Guy (May 26, 2013)

Una mas cerveza.


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## Anne (May 26, 2013)

A grape presser....


Prune pitter......


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## SifuPhil (May 26, 2013)

I think SeaBreeze wins this round - her answer is just about spot-on.

*DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!*

What we have here ... is a *Raisin Seeder*, a device that removes seeds from raisins. 

From the St. John Daily Sun of Nov. 21, 1896:

*The X-Ray Raisin Seeder
*
"The One That Seeds" is a model machine, composed of 38 different parts put up together as true and perfect
as a watch, not a single part can possibly get out of order. It will seed raisins as fast as you can drop them
into the hopper and turn the crank. When we say seed, we mean it will remove every single seed! It will simply
perforate the raisin and not cut it into shreds or mutilate it, every seed will come out dry and without the slightest
waste. Talk about perfection - this machine is the very acme of it.

*WE GUARANTEE EVERY MACHINE
*
perfect or no sale. We will replace any defective part free of charge any time within five years! Each machine is
accompanied with a certificate strongly and broadly guaranteeing it.

W.H. Thorne and Company, Limited
Market Square





Well done, everyone!


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## R. Zimm (May 28, 2013)

I guess this was before genetically engineered seedless grapes. We were all close in that we that it removed something!


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## SifuPhil (May 28, 2013)

R. Zimm said:


> I guess this was before genetically engineered seedless grapes. We were all close in that we that it removed something!



Yes, it was from a simpler, safer, saner time. 

As for it "removing something", that's a pretty big field, as That Guy's de-nutter comment proved.


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## That Guy (May 29, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> Yes, it was from a simpler, safer, saner time.



Wait a minute.  I thought our current Nanny State was keeping us safer with complicated and insane warnings and restrictions???


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## SifuPhil (May 29, 2013)

That Guy said:


> Wait a minute.  I thought our current Nanny State was keeping us safer with complicated and insane warnings and restrictions???



Oh, do NOT get me going on the Nanny State ...


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## That Guy (May 29, 2013)

Go, Nanny.  Go Nanny.  Go Nanny . . .


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## SifuPhil (May 29, 2013)

That Guy said:


> Go, Nanny.  Go Nanny.  Go Nanny . . .



Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

Our government was never _meant_ to give cradle-to-grave security, but what they _have_ discovered is that offering it is a wonderful method of controlling the population. 

... and that's all I'll say on the subject until I (or you or someone else) decides to start a new thread on it - I don't want to soil my What-Is-It with politics. layful:


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## That Guy (May 29, 2013)

Unfortunately, Phil, we have noticed all of your What-Is-It items are extremely unsafe and will need to be plastered with warning stickers and helmets will be required for protection...    Failure to comply will result in comedic sanctions.


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## Anne (May 29, 2013)

OOOH; politics...Nanny state...police state...aren't we so lucky to have a nanny to watch over us??   Wait, MANY nannies.   Trouble is, they are so busy looking out for each other, they seem to have forgotten what's best for us - the people they work for.  

But wait....it would be nice if they did forget 'what's best for us', and just leave us to take care of ourselves.   That could work!!!


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## That Guy (May 29, 2013)




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## SifuPhil (May 30, 2013)

They left out the last line:

*"HAVE FUN!"*

Actually I can identify a bit with that sign, especially in an outdoor recreational area. When I go to such places all I want to hear is nature - I don't want to hear rap blasting out of a ghetto-blaster, I don't want to hear people screaming at their kids and I don't want to even SEE those other people - just nature. Birds chirping, bears farting, that kind of thing ...


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## That Guy (May 30, 2013)

Yeah, I was missing the "Have Fun" finality which I always see on the damned warning signs at the city beaches.  Along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, there's a huge, obnoxious sign announcing the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary which totally blocks a view of the bay.  Who in hell let these idiots loose?


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