What-is-it question LXXXII.

Post by **2209patrick** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:59 pm

This silver and leather traveling case contains some items made of silver.
Dates to the 18th century.

These are usually 5 inches (12.7 cm.) to 6 inches (15.3 cm.) long.
I have seen examples from Great Britain and France.
What is this called?

Pat.
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Post by **2209patrick** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 4:34 pm

The section on the far right unscrews. It contains a bottle.

Pat.
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byron mac donald · Post by **byron mac donald** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:17 pm

Okay I'll Bite... Does it have anything to do with food?
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Post by **2209patrick** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:51 pm

Hello Byran.

No, it does not ave anything to do with food.

The one in the picture is French.
Joseph Taylor and Samuel Pemberton of Birmingham England produced different versions of this item, c.1800.

Pat.
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byron mac donald · Post by **byron mac donald** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:23 am

How about oral hygiene? The bottle containing tooth powder; the other items a toothbrush, and a tongue scrapper?
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Post by **2209patrick** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 10:03 am

That's a good idea Byran, but this was not meant to be used as an oral hygiene kit.

On the far left there is a compartment with a hinged cover.
The bottle on the other end contained a liquid.

Pat.
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Hose_dk · Post by **Hose_dk** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 10:37 am

and the liquid was for drinking and the other end contains glass. Good before hunting.
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wev · Post by **wev** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 10:56 am

communion kit?
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Post by **dognose** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:02 am

Hi Pat,

Or was it for pens and ink?

Trev.
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Post by **2209patrick** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:21 am

Those are all good ideas, but Trev is correct.

The compartment on the left would hold either sealing wax or pounce (sand). The bottle on the other end held ink.
The center held pen knives for shaping goose quills, tubular extensions for the knives, folding rulers with scales, dividers and nib sections for holding quill nibs.

What was this item called?
Will show more examples after we get the name of the item.

Pat.
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Doos · Post by **Doos** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:26 pm

Hi,

A notary traveling kit?
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Post by **2209patrick** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:26 pm

Hello Doos.
A notary traveling kit is not the term usually used to identify this type of item.
It's called a "Penner". These travelling sets of writing tools were necessary before the invention of the fountain pen.

Here's some more examples:
http://www.loringpage.com/pens/cat01b.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pat.
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