Featured Bone (?) Thingamajig

Bought this item ...and have no idea what it is...

I thought it could be some kind of Stanhope item due to the hole in it (even though it was already clear that there wasn't a microphoto in it), or a needle holder, but it isn't hollow...

It's made up of 3 parts. Unfortunately one part can't be screwed onto the middle part. Not sure if it was broken or if some kind of glue/resin messed up the thread.


It was sold as being ivory, but based on the blood vessel lines and dots, and the lack of crossed lines, I assume it's bone.


So, can anyone tell me what this thingamajig is?

 

it's a Whatyamacallit...
& ya..bone !

 

I know nothing about whatever this may be....... that said, for some reason a child's fidget toy comes to mind. Just pure speculation.

 

The Chinese have a saying; Wisdom begins with calling things by their proper name.

 

Now I wonder if it could actually be a needle holder, with this part

being hollow, and that the hole has been blocked off by that red substance...

 

It looks like the ends are a pair of bone knitting needle holders, connected by a decorative tube for a stanhope viewer. Yes, it has been messed with, but it is a beauty.
Try soaking it in lighter fluid to get rid of the gunk. It won't stain the bone.

This kind of thing, only your has an added stanhope bit:

https://www.zuiderzeecollectie.nl/object/collect/Zuiderzee_museum-7734

 

I suspect it's from a Chinese puzzle box, carved in Canton around 1820's. I think it's the ball on a stick one missing the ball and the base. Yes it's bone https://chinesepuzzles.org/puzzles-for-export/#

 

there's something long and thin laying flat ...just behind the ball & stick......... that seems to have a disc & red cord.......... ??

 

winner , winner , chicken dinner !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ummm......unless that's the same item.......???

 

ok....the color got me confused........... that's gotta be the same one.........

Hey....I got excited for a minute !!!!!!.....

 

Yup.
It was listed as ivory, so during my conversation with the seller, I commented that I was surprised to see it hadn't been removed (automatically) by the site.
A few minutes later, it was removed. Not by the site, but by the seller ... after she had received a message from the police telling her she wasn't allowed to sell it.

 

Wouldn't those have a hole in it?

 

it does indeed look a lot like it No additional info on the site

 

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...puzzle-game-with-original-box-55-c-f434417aa1

In this photo you can see the cord going through the center hole.
The aim of the game might be that you have to get the cord out of that hole.

 

I have a number of these Chinese puzzles, I'll take a pic tomorrow, mine are ivory, I have 2 burr puzzles 1 with 6 pieces and the other with 12
https://www.puzzlemuseum.com/month/picm06/200612chinese3.htm

 

Here is your one https://www.puzzlemuseum.com/month/picm06/200611chinese2.htm

 

In the video

 

Ha, I was so busy trying to find it, while watching the Correspondents'Diner news, that I didn't see your answer until after I posted the vid

 

winner , winner......... lobster dinner !!!!!!!!!!!

to Marote & 808 ....