What the Heck Is It! #5
Happy Friday friends, and welcome to another edition of What the Heck Is It?
So last week some of you thought AnnMarie’s mystery item was the top of an old binocular case.
After doing some googling it certainly does look similar to old ones that I saw. I thought it might be something that you strapped onto the back of a bike back in the old days.
Whatever it is it’s very cool! Thanks so much for the suggestions.
This week I have two mysteries that I’m hoping you’ll help me solve.
The first is another 25 cent gadget from my favourite thrift stores gadget bin.
These funny looking grabber thingies are about 10″ long.
They have a spring action thing going on.
I know they’re tongs of some kind, but because I’ve never seen them before I was wondering if they’re meant for something specific.
And I found this $1 lot of about 200 aluminum foil circles. They’re razor thin and measure just over 2″ across.
I’ve googled every which way to try and find out what these are meant to be used for and can’t find them anywhere.
I have a repurposing project in mind for these, but I’d really like to know what it is that I’m repurposing. 🙂
Any thoughts?
What the heck are they?
Thanks so much for reading and until next time…
keep on keepin’ on!
XOX
My guess on the tongs is that they might have been for blocks of ice back when people had ice boxes to keep things cold…
They look like small child’s play Pie Pans to me. And what a great find if they are. I have been searching every where for something like that. I am going to be serving small bite size cakes and pies in my Antique Store along with our coffee bar. Thik this size is what I need. Hope you can find out. The true name for them so I hunt for them here in Texas.
Jiffy Pop popcorn?
The tongs are …… Vintage Salad Tongs. I found them in Ebay just now doing a different search.
On the Aluminum Pans, doing a small research I am thinking they are vintage doll house pie pans. I found a pizza pan and to me it looked to be about the same size.
The tongs are for picking up corn on the cob in boiling water. We had them when I was very young.
The little silver things look like the old milk tops before the advertisement or printing was put on top, maybe. And the tongs look like the kind used for canning to pick up the tops when they were hot. But who really knows!
Tongs: I was thinking for fish, but probably corn cob as mentioned before.
Lids: thinking they are tops to milk bottles too, the kind used in delivering to homes.
Vintage salad fork serve. Some come with a spoon and fork and then the one you have is with 2 forks;dating back to the 1950’s
https://www.etsy.com/listing/121226779/vintage-fork-tongs
Listing price here; $38.88
The flat foil circles.maybe to put on top of jars using canning rings, or maybe used as reflectors. Put small hole in center; poke Christmas light through and use as reflectors.
They actually could be used for a number of things
The tongs can be used for vegetable in boiling water or salad. I have 2 sets. The aluminum toppers are for sealing jelly on top of the wax to keep it clean. My grandmother used these.
At first I thought the silver “pie pans” were Stove Flue Covers, we had them up north, but then I saw the size, then I thought maybe candle wax protectors.. Stick them in the candle holder then put the candle down into it so that it molds around the candle.
The aluminum discs remind me of the throw away ashtrays VFW I went to as a little girl with my grandpa! Also my grandmother owned a bar and these aluminum ashtrays were set out instead of real glass ones. I asked her why and she said that when the old men would get drunk they would fight and throw the ashtrays breaking them or causing bodily injury to each other and property damage so to prevent that and for insurance issues she switched over to these small disposable aluminum ashtrays. I also played “mud pies” out back with them when I visited grandmas bar ( bar and grill) . I would fill them up with my “homemade” mud pies then take them inside and sell them to the drunk guys. They bought them for .25 cents a pie! Lmfao I’d come hone with a few dollars in quarters haha fun times and good memories but that’s what they remind me of!
There are some great ideas here for your two mystery items! I think the tongs are for salad or maybe ice cubes. And it makes sense that the foil circles covered the wax on jam jars. Wish I knew about them when I canned jam using wax!
The aluminum pans look just like the disposable ashtrays we handed out at parties. When I worked for a catering company 30 years ago.
None of the above.
They’re UFO’s :}
It looks like pickle fork to me
The tongs should have Popeil stamped on them for Ron Popeil salad tongs. & I think the discs are milk bottle tops. I love your posts!!!!
I think the tongs are indeed for blocks of ice and the foil items are for the tops of milk bottles. I remember them from childhood
Didn’t have a clue! Now I’m always rummaging around in the utensil boxes at estate sales & thrift stores!
Ice tongs and milk bottle tops are my guesses.
You ladies are all awesome! Thanks so much for all the great suggestions and comments. I really appreciate all the input. Tuula 🙂