posted 07-07-2010 09:50 AM            

This piece is one I have owned for years. I believe it was something my mother had, and that I claimed it when we were distributing her things. I seem to recall being intrigued by it, wondering what it could be, and for being fascinated by the purple stone on the end, something I had not seen before this piece. Hopefully someone here will be able to solve this mystery.

It looks to me as if it belongs as part of either a desk set or a dresser set. It measures about 4 5/8". The blade is extremely sharp along the entire edge. I have no idea if the stone is a real amethyst or glass, but am thinking it is probably glass.

Per Rainwater, I learned that the mark is for Foster & Bailey (1878-1895) OR Theordore W. Foster, who succeeded Foster & Bailey. They were in Providence.

Thanks in advance to all who look at this and venture an opinion of its intended use.

posted 07-07-2010 10:19 AM            

Ink Erasers

posted 07-07-2010 10:59 AM            

DESIGN FOR A HANDLE FOR NAIL-FILES, &c
SPECIFICATION forming part of Design No. 29,262, dated August 23, 1898.
Application filed July 29, 1898. Serial No. 687,219. Term of patent 3 1/2 years.
To all whom it may concern:

Bo it known that I, Theodore W. Foster, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented and produced a new and original Design for the Handles of Nail-Files and Similar Articles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

Figure 1 is a front view of the handle, showing my design. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line AA of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, a sectional view on the line BB.

The leading feature of my design consists in the six-sided tapering form of the handle surmounted with the ornamented head terminating in the faceted disk, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the drawings, a indicates a nail-file, to which the handle is secured. A button-hook b is indicated in broken lines. The lower part of the handle is formed into the bulb c, the two opposite sides of which are ornamented with a floral design. From the bulb c the handle gradually enlarges, forming six tapering sides dd, terminating near the upper end in the inwardly-curved leaf ornaments ee, the space between which is ornamented on each side by the pendent floral ornaments ff. The two oppositely-disposed foliated scrolls gg support the seal-shaped knob i, the upper member of which is ornamented by the foliated scrolls K and is surmounted by the faceted disk or jewel l. The handle presents to the eye the appearance of a tapering six-sided ornamental jeweled hilt or handle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—
The design for the handle of a nail-file or similar article substantially as herein shown and described.

posted 07-07-2010 11:12 AM            

Thank you both so much.

posted 07-07-2010 05:11 PM            

Ink scrapers go back hundreds of years. Back when people were writing with quills on parchment it was not uncommon to scrape an entire sheet clean and reuse it. These scraped and reused sheets of parchment actually have a name - palimpsest. There are even ways now to examine such documents these days where you can discover what was originally written on the parchment and scraped away.