What is this???

A friend of mine has this and we are trying to figure out what it is. We have ABSOLUTELY no idea. She and her husband are Amish and they bought it at her husband's grandfather's estate sale. It comes in a little case with a form-fitted depression for the metal object. The case has a leather look at it is around 3 inches long. The device has a little trigger on one end and you can move it over until it catches, just like cocking a pistol. When you push the little lever on the top, the trigger releases with a little snap. There is a partially visible word on top of the case that we think may be in German. The 3rd or 4th letter appears to be a "w". The first character may be a "T", "J" or "F". On the back by the little pin or nipple looking area, there is "F. D." imprinted. What is this thing????

 

Pipe lighter?

 

My ol' man says it's a miniature one-shot "derringer"... but... he plays with me a lot.

 

Need to see the open end then...if there is one...

 

Fleam


Missing the blade

 

Looks like a fleam, a blood-letting instrument- pre Civil War. The blade of yours nay be missing.
http://antique-scientific-instrumen...lood-letting-philebotomy-instrument-p-14.html

Scroll about 1/4th to 1/3rd of the way down the page.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-grisly-photos-wounded-soldiers-treated.html

Welcome to the forum.

--- Susan

 

Terry beat me!

 

WOW!

 

My ol' man: 0
Terry and Lady: 1

 

Can you see in the little case how there is an rounded indentation on the right-hand side of the case? Could the blade fit there? There is a little black piece of metal inside it that is about the size of a matchstick. It slides out freely, so it may be broken off and just stuck back inside. I take it that it might be the arm that the blade should be attached with. Any thoughts on how much it might be worth? What the F.D. could stand for?

 

Lady's links give some ideas of value and variation.

 

The loose piece may be the spring. In the current condition maybe $25. The lettering could be owner or maker.

 

Terry (or maybe Shangas)... can the missing parts be re-made... like by a 3-d printer, or just tinkering? And made to look good? Which wouldn't be wrong, if you were up front about the additions?

 

Ouch - a thousand dollar+ part? 3D printing isn't cheap. I'm a pattern maker and everybody thinks getting a casting is a few dollars - maybe the casting will be 7$ BUT for the pattern to be made will be hundreds of dollars, PLUS mounting and gating for the foundry to actually yo be able to mold it! I've made small patterns with core boxes that went south of 2500$

This simple volute pattern is around 4500$, split pattern with a core box. Mounted and gated!

 

Don't tempt me.

This type of fleam is referred to as a spring loaded fleam or spring lancet. They tended to be the smaller type of fleam. A spring fleam was a big improvement over the types that had been used for centuries. It allowed the cutting to happen very very quick, hence less pain. The large fleams were used on farm animals. I haven't a clue on value without the blade; however, if someone offers you $25 like Terry thought, I would say take it!
http://www.vintagemedical.com/pages/204-22.html

Now fleams are not rare. I have a multi-blade fleam. Mine is similar fig 8 on the following page. Yours is similar to fig 13th & 17th.
Need to scroll down about 1/3rd of the way to see the examples. Click the pics for enlarged views.
http://www.medicalantiques.com/medical/Scarifications_and_Bleeder_Medical_Antiques.htm

--- Susan

 

Rayo and Lady...

 

Okay....so I finally found another fleam on the internet that looks just like my friend's. The writing on the case matches what we can decipher on the top of her case. Here is the photo. Anyone know how to read German who can tell me what it says? I don't know if the first letter is an I or a T or something else.

 

By the way everyone, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the information and the speedy replies! Of course my friend doesn't have a phone (being Amish) and I will visit her on Monday to give her all your information. I think her husband gave $35 for it at the estate auction, but since it was his grandfather's, I'm sure he didn't mind giving that much.