Monday Mystery Artifact
My, last week's Mystery Artifact had a lot of good guesses! Does anyone have any more guesses before we reveal the identity of this object?
Hm? Any more? What's that?
Did you say something? Hey, speak up, there! I can't hear you!
Just a second. Let me go and get my ear trumpet.
Some interesting and good guesses popped up in last week's contest, including "nose sucker-outter," "[funnel] to feed a sick animal," "medicinal," and "a horn." The correct guessers were a2dancelady and Mark Maynard with "hearing aid" and "ear trumpet."
Lisa Bashert's inventive idea "ear trumpet for an orangutan," demonstrates a commendable consideration for our primate brethren who are hard of hearing, but her well-meaning concern is misplaced: the structure of orangutan vocal cords precludes human-like speech, though at least one orangutan, Chantek, mastered sign language and used it in imaginative and abstract ways.
Chantek also learned how to knap flint to make knives--with one such knife he made, he cut open the string that secured his food box. But even as an orangutan brought new tools into existence, other human tools have faded into obscurity*, like those below from the Ypsilanti Historical Museum. What were they used for? Can you guess? Good luck!
* a segue so strained that I can hear it creaking, even without an ear trumpet.
WINNER'S LIST: 8/3/09: erksnerks 8/10/09: Larissa 8/17/09: no winner 8/24/09: erksnerks, (2) 8/31/09: erksnerks, (3); Larissa, (2) 9/7/09: no winner; honorable mention to goblue18 9/14/09: erksnerks (4), Larissa (3), Janice A., Edward V. 9/21/09: a2dancelady, Mark Maynard, Creative Use of an Orangutan award to Lisa Bashert
Mystery Artifact is published every Monday on AnnArbor.com.
Comments
Lisa Bashert
Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 9:15 p.m.
Youch, what a shameful pun, Laura! Yes, there is special darning wool, but many people just use a lightweight yarn. My darning egg is pretty much identical with the darker one pictured above.
Laura Bien
Tue, Sep 22, 2009 : 12:41 a.m.
Wystan: That's quite fascinating. I am always enthralled to learn more about the sock habits and preferences of the esteemed local historians I admire. But, if I may whisper the tiniest of cautions: don't get TOO attached to them--you don't want to end up with sockholm syndrome.
Wystan
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 11:55 p.m.
My sox aren't new, but they're pretty darned good. Or should I say, darned pretty good? At least they cover the subject, and keep my tootsies warm -- and that, as most folks would acknowledge, is quite a feet!
Laura Bien
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 5:21 p.m.
Lisa: That is very cool! I must confess my ignorance--I didn't know people used special "darning wool" to darn things like socks (this really IS a forgotten craft!). May I ask, what is darning wool and why do you need it in particular? I'd love to learn why. Thanks!
Lisa Bashert
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 4:27 p.m.
Some of us still darn our socks, although I had to buy both my darning wool and darning egg at an antique shop (Salt City, in fact). I happen to be wearing darned socks this very minute.
Laura Bien
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 1:24 p.m.
erksnerks: Interesting guess. :) It is very cool that you know this old skill. If I could pester you a bit, what is the right way to darn socks? Are there some tips you know, if anyone out there is contemplating giving it a try? Seems like a silly question but as others have said it's a lost art, and I'd love to know the details from someone who knows. Thank you.
Laura Bien
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 1:22 p.m.
Ms. Heflin: Interesting guess. It takes so little time to darn a sock if you have your sewing basket all set up. I wonder why we don't bother to do so today, for a few minutes while watching TV, &c. Socks are cheap but any money is "found money," as my mom says.
Laura Bien
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 1:18 p.m.
suem: Interesting guess. And I completely agree with your sentiment about fixing, not tossing, things. Reminds me that it wasn't until WWII that plastic containers (plastic in general) began entering the "consumer stream," kicking off our mindset of tossing things out until it became a normal thing...
erksnerks
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 7:54 a.m.
Yes indeed darning eggs! My grandmother darned my Farmer Uncle's socks all the time. And yes I can darn socks too.
suem
Mon, Sep 21, 2009 : 7:40 a.m.
Those are darning eggs from back in the day when we didn't throw everything away, we fixed them.