Send your answers to the What Is It contest, postmarked by December 20, to the Mountain States Collector, P.O. Box 1003,  Bailey, CO 80421. At least three winners will be drawn. Winners will receive a one year electronic subscription to the Mountain States Collector. Be sure to include your email address to your guess.

We had one correct answer for our october’s What Is It. Dennis Thode of broomfield, Colorado correctly identified the object as a holder for powder papers. It is a 19th Century pharmacy tool —a powder folder used to hold meds in the days before solid tablets. He is correct! It is a brass powder folder which was listed in an […]

The American Machine Co. fluter of the 1880s literally cranked out ruffles between the teeth of its corrugated rollers. Shown here with the heater slugs (left) that fitted into the rollers and the tools for inserting and removing them, the 8-inch-wide machine clamped to a table or counter top for use. Machines like this one in good condition are relatively […]

Jerry Michals of Aurora, Colorado tells us that September’s What Is It is a Muffin Bell. “This bell was commonly used by volunteer 19th Century fire fighters. The torch boy or firefighter leading the hand pulled hose reel or hand pumper would ring this bell as he led the way to the fire. These bells usually have an 1850s patent […]

We had one correct guess from our Alaskan reader Marjorie McLaren. August’s What Is It appears to be a place setting of china in the style of the presidential china selected by Mary Todd Lincoln for her husband, President Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865 term). It was the custom for each president to choose their own presidential china.  The Lincoln presidential china […]