We sometimes stumble upon random vintage objects while passing by garage sales, or even when we visit our grandparent’s place. We have no single idea of how they used it back then, but it probably proved useful to them in the past, or maybe not. Here are 51 vintage objects that people shared on the internet and their uses.
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s1l4z_behr
1. Perfume Necklace
“I inherited this necklace when my ma passed away. I think she wore it in the 70s. I just found out it has a secret – this pointy mini arrow looking thing comes out!” explained the woman. It used to hold small amounts of perfume inside.
Source:
bethshurt
2. Kala Sun Watch
Have you ever wanted to tell time using just the sun? If so, then this portable sundial is for you. You can carry it around in your pocket and pull it out whenever you need to measure the sun’s shadows.
Source:
Scruffygun211
3. Key Station
This keyhole was discovered in the wall of a hospital by one of the staff. It’s a relic from the past. The hospital night watchmen used to have to turn a key in the hole while doing their rounds. It marked that they stopped there.
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perpetprocrastmastr
4. Alessi Juicer
The long tongs allow the juicer to stand up above a glass. Then a citrus fruit such as an orange or a lemon is cut in half and pushed against the top part. The juice drains down directly into the glass.
Source:
CaptainRipp
5. Paint Lid Sealer
This weird contraption looks like some sort of futuristic robot. However, it’s actually used for something simple. It is placed on top of large cans of paint to reseal the lids back on after they have been opened.
Source:
Imgur
6. Cribbage Pieces
This is a little packet of pegs for the card game Cribbage. They look like wooden matchsticks. However, they are actually made out of plastic.
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Kvandelay
7. Camera Shutter Timer
If you wind it up, it starts ticking. It’s for old cameras that don’t have a built-in self-timer. Attach it to the shutter, then sprint out in front of the camera and take your photo.
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blebbleb1
8. Phone Booth Fan
Wooden phone booths used to have fans in the top corner. The metal one in this picture had rubber blades attached to it back in the day when it was operational. However, all of the blades are missing now.
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opnecircuit
9. Baking Rings
Pastry chefs will definitely recognize these metal rings. They are used when baking cakes with different color layers. The rings are typically coupled with a checkerboard cake pan.
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bloodypenny
10. Antimony Pill
You take one of these pills to induce vomiting. They are actually magnetic, so they can be retrieved again afterward and reused. Many antimony pills stayed within a family for generations.
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jgunn03
11. Envelope Pants
It might look like just a random piece of fabric. However, if you wrap it around your legs it becomes a pair of very wide and baggy pants. It’s sort of a mix between a dress and pants.
Source:
now_everybodys_DEAD
12. Egg Peeler
This metal device removes the tops of soft boiled eggs. You simply place it around the top of the egg and give a light squeeze. It will give you a perfectly circular cut.
Source:
KleverKlem
13. Half Spoon
Sometimes, you don’t want to use a full spoon. Instead, you opt for a half spoon. Half spoons are what some households used to use in the past for taking medicine.
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cdf14
14. Applause Meter
These meters were used to measure audience noises at shows, events, and on television. Apparently, they weren’t very reliable. However, back in the day, there weren’t a lot of alternative options either.
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elsworth
15. Corn Scorer
Most people have never heard of corn slitters or scorers. They are run across ears of corn to split the kernels into smaller pieces. That way they don’t get stuck in your teeth when you eat them and the butter and salt can seep in more easily.
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thrust-johnson
16. Swizzle Stick
Here we have a novelty swizzle stick shaped like a golf club. You use swizzle sticks to stir drinks with ice in them. Just hold the stick between your palms and move your palms back and forth.
Source:
PerceptionOfDoors
17. Coin Purse
This type of change purse was common in the Victorian era. They remained in use up until around 1920. They featured a metal chain mail pouch to keep your coins in.
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amayagab
18. Herb Cutter
Instead of chopping up fresh herbs from the garden with a knife, you can use this herb cutter. It’s made specifically for the job. It makes it quick and easy to dice up herbs such as chives and mint.
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Old_Veal
19. Car Vase
Did you mistake this for an old-fashioned flask or container for holding wine? If you did, we don’t blame you. However, it’s actually a flower vase for inside your car. Flowers are an all-natural air freshener solution.
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weavves
20. Percussion Instrument
At first glance, this might appear to be some sort of cheese grater or cooking device. However, it’s actually a type of instrument from South America called a guacharaca. A metal brush is scraped across the surface to make musical sounds.
Source:
UnadoptedPuppy
21. Hand Vice
Despite what it may look like, this isn’t a Medieval torture device. It’s actually a hand vice grip used in watch and jewelry repair. It’s good for gripping onto small items.
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Tauvik
22. Cowboy Hat Holder
This metal device has a tight hinge and two large suction cups on it. It turns out, it is used for holding cowboy hats when you are riding in the car. It attaches to the ceiling or windows and provides a place to store your hat.
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mi_chela
23. Button Maker
Here we have an old-fashioned tool used for making buttons. It’s not in perfect condition. Originally, it would have had an additional handle to assist in opening and closing the mold.
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shandjob
24. Ice Crusher
This cranking device was spotted on the wall of an old house. It’s an ice crusher. You put the ice in the top and turn the lever to make crushed ice come out of the bottom.
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patpend
25. Toy Washing Machine
This miniature machine was likely used by young girls and boys to wash baby doll clothes. It’s a tiny version of the bigger ones often used in homes during that time period. You crank the handle and the clothes spin around.
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Reddit
26. Towel Holder
Instead of putting a bar towel over a rod or a hook, these metal rods clamp down to hold the towel in place. It’s not better or worse than any other type of towel holder. It’s just different than the ones that most homes have today.
Source:
xG33Kx
27. Ice Pick
Most of us will never have to use one of these. However, if your ice comes in giant blocks, a pick like this can be used to chip some off. The tongs on the side squeeze in and grab the chunk.
Source:
CharityJai
28. Salt Cellar
It’s one of the strangest gifts you might ever receive — a personal salt cellar. Keep your own private salt supply inside the pineapple and take it with you everywhere. There is even a small spoon to help you scoop it out.
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martinmartin538
29. Bell System KS8400
What exactly was the Bell System KX8400? It turns out, it was slipped over pencils to help people turn rotary phone dials. It made dialing numbers much easier and saved your fingers.
Source:
dmford1987
30. Grape Stem Cutter
To the untrained eye, this device looks pretty confusing. However, it’s used on vineyards to cut the grape off the stems. It allows you to pick a lot of grapes very rapidly using a twisting motion.
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BigRed2001
31. Circular Calculator
Before the days of electronic calculators, there were Optima Circular Calculators. They were popular in Germany in the early 1900s. They can be used to do simple calculations and conversions.
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cov3rman
32. Butter Pick
The butter pick is positioned next to a pen so you can get an idea of the size. Butter picks are used to shape butter into curls. They allow you to shave little spirals off.
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campgroundraccoon
33. Tachometer
Tachometers are used to measure the speed of engines. They show how many revolutions per minute the engine is completing. To people who don’t work on cars, they look very mysterious.
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lilmilkyduds
34. Engine Stethoscope
This device is used for tracking down the location of quiet sounds. For example, in an automotive shop when they are trying to find where a vibration is coming from in an engine. The rod can be moved around and it picks up the sound.
Source:
cherry-cheeseburger
35. Toothpick Dispenser
The toothpicks go inside of the metal box. The pointy part is movable. It dives down into the box to fetch out a toothpick and bring it back up.
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Biorix
36. Candle Wick Trimmer
Here we have an antique candle trimmer. It can be used to trim a candle or cut the wick off of one. If you are burning a lot of candles, a trimmer will definitely come in handy.
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Inside_Person
37. Fish Scalers
The rough surface of this metal tool can be run against a fish to scrape the scales off. If you are doing a lot of fishing, a scaler like this could be very useful. It is much more effective than using a knife.
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ypmr2406
38. Ice Cream Spoon
Here we have an antique spoon with Victorian patterns on it. It was likely used to eat ice cream. However, some people also would use spoons with pointed ends to eat citrus fruits such as grapefruits.
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ricecakesandtequila
39. Glove Clip
The person who found this item thought it was a piece of jewelry. It was in her grandma’s jewelry box from the 1950s. However, it’s actually a glove clip. The bracelet chain is meant to be wrapped around a purse, not a wrist.
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TheRedFoxx
40. Anti-Theft Device
If you pull on the ring, four sharp points come out of the other end. It’s meant to be attached to a pocket watch. If someone tries to steal the watch, they will get poked.
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johnsinternetsales
41. Sail Maker’s Palm
People who make sails for ships use these leather straps to push needles through the heavy material. The leather strap goes around the hand prevents the needle from hurting you. It’s an extremely tough leather.
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snowyh65
42. Hoof Pick
Horse owners will know what this one is. It’s a horse pick for cleaning the horses’ hooves. Oftentimes, debris and dirt get stuck in the hooves of horses and need to be removed.
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Ymmy805
43. Plant Stand
The cat sure likes playing around with this wooden plant stand. It’s empty now. However, normally, a potted-plant would be placed in the top circle and suspended off the ground.
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Subwaythug1
44. Portable Ashtray
Technically, you could put anything in this little Swiss box. It is about the size of a match stick. It’s intended to be used as an ashtray when you are on the go and away from home.
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synthetic_tendency
45. Pin Holder
Sewing pins and needles are stored inside of this cute statue. It is both functional and beautiful. It keeps the pins safely out of the way while still looking great on the mantle.
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grumpybumpkin
46. Vintage cocaine drops
In 1885, cocaine used to be used as a treatment for toothaches, sour throats, and even coughs. Moreover, it was allowed to be sold in stores. Apparently, these drops are even used for kids too.
Source:
Flickr/The Public Domain Review
47. Curing hangovers in the past
Whenever people party too hard and get a hangover, they use this unusual bonnet or mask to cure their hangover. These plastic cubes should contain water and then frozen before wearing it over your head.
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Flickr/x-ray delta one
48. Exercise horse at home
Back then, horse riding is common but not all had the time to be riding horses outside. Someone invented a device in which people could exercise horse-riding in the comfort of their own homes. It is even advertised that it could help with your health too.
Source:
reddit/I always wanted a Pet Rock!
49. How to burn fat fast
People had the most unusual ideas in the past that sometimes it ends up too disturbing. This vintage product, which claims to ‘banish’ your fat uses sanitized tapeworms! Regardless if they call it safe, knowing that those are tapeworms is already a big no-no.
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Flickr/Kevin Lightner
50. Sharing one shower
Saving water, even way back then, is considered super important for everyone. However, the idea of having a shower made for everyone is not just the way to do it.
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Comlex
51. Sunburn shield
Even way back then, people used to sunbathe to obtain a tan. The problem is, it could sometimes cause painful sunburns. There is a product in 1931, a sunburn helmet that aims to shield its user from the harmful rays coming from the sun.
Source:
Modern Mechanix
It is amazing how people have happened to have these items. No matter how weird they are, it really does piques people’s curiosity. Hopefully, you enjoyed browsing through this list and found something that you are interested in.
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