Marjorie McLaren of Anchorage Alaska tells us January’s What Is It appears to be a vintage woven rattan and bamboo Chinese pillow basket, probably made in the mid 20th century. The basket has a woven rattan top and bottom surrounded by a red lacquered bamboo structure. The hardware is likely brass and appears to be missing a locking mechanism, which might have been a strip […]

 Tricia Myers of Berwyn Heights, Maryland and Carolyn Kundel of Roland, Iowa both identified the What Is it as a letter opener. William McLaren of Anchorage, Alaska also tells us the object it a letter opener. He added, “The What Is It for December 2023 is a vintage bronze letter opener. The Buddha design on the handle suggests that it […]

 We’re sorry to report that we had no correct guesses for our November What Is It. This beautiful item is a samovar.  What is a samovar? Webster’s defines it as a metal urn used by Russians for heating water for tea. The samovar often was decorative in design and included a dispenser for the hot water. Depression-era glass companies took […]

 Our correct guesses for our October’s What Is It include one from Christine Green of Westminster, Colorado. She writes, “My guess is it’s a foot stool and has a fur foot warmer to put your feet in to warm them. Back in those days it wsn’t very warm in the houses. Thank you and I so enjoy your paper.” Annette […]

We had three correct answers for our September’s What Is It. Yes, it is Scrimshaw. This particular example is Scrimshaw of Honolulu Fort ca 1820 – 1840. Roger B. Wilschke of Denver, Colorado said, “This is a good example of a scrimshawed whale tooth probably 300 years old.” Jerome McLaren of Conifer, Colorado adds, “It was created by a sailor […]