Strange antique object has internet stumped

• « Definitely alien technology, » one user joked.

• « It’s clearly an old dental torture device. »

• « Is that… a Victorian-era mustache curler? »

While many suggestions were lighthearted, others took a more analytical approach, digging into patent records, old Sears catalogs, and historical archives.

Some suggested it could be:

• A butter mold or cheese press

• A cobbler’s tool for repairing shoes

• A pipe tamper for early tobacco use

• A candle wick trimmer from the 1800s

• A tool for shaping or trimming leather