What Is This?

[marty]

What is this?
Material is glass. Weight is 836.5 grams, little under 2 pounds. Recess on the bottom is about 1 - 1/2 inches deep. Grove is only on one side. There are 10 marks on the top. There is one mark on the side that has the grove. This mark is shaped like this ( rotate clockwise, sad face.

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[riba2233]

Ashtray? :lol:

 

[Voltron]

Alien shotglass?

 

[The fingers]

Insulator?

 

[parajared]

Insulator?

Fingers beat me to it. It looks a lot like the insulator they put on power poles. The wire rests in the groove.

 

[marty]

Not sure if this is a electrical insulator? Here I see About 1,520,000 results when I search for glass insulator.
https://www.google.com/search?q=glass+insulator&biw=1536&bih=734&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=RbK3VJ2oGsWlNoOYgrAF&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg
My glass thing is different. I think it might have something to do with metaphysical, spiritual, magic, or religious? My knee was hurting. After I put this glass thing was in my house, my knee stopped hurting.

Been cleaning out a house. One of my hired treasure hunters found this special glass thing.

Here is a insulator that sold on eBay for $2,300

What is my mystery thing worth?

 

[The fingers]

A red color insulator could fetch many times that. Green, clear, and purple are more common. Blue must be rare to fetch that kind of money.

 

[arkmundi]

You may be in possession of an alien artefact.

 

[parajared]

After I put this glass thing was in my house, my knee stopped hurting.

As an endless-sphere poster I must insist that the item be modified. I propose building an elastic strap that will allow the item to be held to your knee for knee pain but also enough material to strap to your forehead in case of headache.

 

[marty]

Been looking at insulators that sold on eBay. The ones with higher prices have better photography. Look at this one.

Descriptions include model numbers. Examples:

CD 162 H.G.CO. PETTICOAT "Peacock Blue" w/Tie-Wire Antique Glass Insulator SB!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CD-162-H-G-CO-PETTICOAT-Peacock-Blue-w-Tie-Wire-Antique-Glass-Insulator-SB-/231354780169

Stunning Antique Houze Slag Glass Swirl Auto Ashtray Insulator Model A Model T
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stunning-Antique-Houze-Slag-Glass-Swirl-Auto-Ashtray-Insulator-Model-A-Model-T-/151457082495?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23438bac7f

Photography I can figure out. I got some white paper for a background. Manufacturer and model numbers?????? If this thing is really from a alien space ship I am lost? Was kind of joking about this thing healing my injured knee. Suspect my knee was sore from dragging tons of trash up the basement stairs with a hand truck. My knee really did get better after I put the the magic glass in my house.

I am going here:
Show & Tell - Antique Insulators | Collectors Weekly
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/tools-and-hardware/insulators/stories

Any other electrical insulator forums?

 

[friendly1uk]

looks like my ikea desk lamp. Led under each. Kinda like an ice cube look. Only the slot one side puzzles, but sat in a hoilder you would need some purchase

 

[marty]

looks like my ikea desk lamp. Led under each. Kinda like an ice cube look. Only the slot one side puzzles, but sat in a hoilder you would need some purchase

but sat in a hoilder you would need some purchase?????? Spelling mistake? I am not understanding this part of your sentence? Sorry for being confused.

 

[marty]

Put pictures here:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/145756-clear-glass-square-electrical-insulator

collectorsweekly.com > In Tools and Hardware > Insulators > Show & Tell and Art Glass > Show & Tell.

Here is my description. Might give you all some more clues as to what this is?

Clear glass square electrical insulator?
Bought a house at a tax auction. Buffalo, New York, USA. House is full of stuff. Mostly trash. Found this glass thing. What is this?

Material is glass. Weight is 836.5 grams, little under 2 pounds. Recess on the bottom is about 1 - 1/2 inches deep. Grove is only on one side. There are 10 marks on the top. There is one mark on the side that has the grove. This mark is shaped like this ( rotate clockwise, sad face.

More clues - I was told that the former owner of this house died, and he was a plumber and hypnotist. Do hypnotists use glass tools?

More clues from Wikipedia - Hypnosis only gained widespread use in the 1880s. The history of glassmaking can be traced back to 3500 BCE.

 

[marty]

Took more pictures. Lighting is 1 florescent flashlight, 2 LED flashlights, big screw in florescent bulb in the ceiling and outdoor sunny day from the window. Photography studio is the kitchen. Camera is Samsung Galaxy S4, not activated as phone, no flash. Background is white paper taped to the table and wall.

Still don't know what this is?



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[Hillhater]

I can't help with what it might be, but those are stunning pictures for a phone camera !

 

[ohzee]

alien anal prober/finger protector.

Id guess some type of insulator for a very specific purpose or maybe a candle holder ?

 

[marty]

Got the answer from a insulator collector guy. Vault Light

From:
http://www.glassian.org/Prism/Vault/index.html

Vault Lights / Pavement Lights / Sidewalk Prisms
Vault Lights, also known as Sidewalk Lights (or Pavement Lights in the UK), are those old glass prisms set into sidewalks to let light into vaults and basements below. Prisms were used instead of flat glass to disperse the light, diffusing it over a large area; plain flat glass would simply form a bright spot on the floor below, not providing much useful general lighting.

The idea originated in the 1840s as deck lights. They were used on ships to let light below-decks, especially when an open flame would be hazardous, such as on colliers. Functional deck lights are still made today, but few of the originals remain. One surviving specimen from the whaler Charles W. Morgan has been much reproduced.

The idea caught on; by the late 19th century they were common in the larger downtowns, especially New York. Their use declined as electric light became cheaper and better, and by the 1930s were on their way out. Now, they are endangered relics. After 100 years of sidewalk traffic, they usually look like this, with most of the glass broken out then filled in, most of the rest smashed but still in place, and a few brave soldiers holding the fort.

Here is a Sidewalk Prisms group:
https://www.flickr.com/groups/332577@N20/
They got 638 photos to look at.

Hows this for new image file names?
vault_light.pavement_light.sidewalk_prism.00.jpg

Next question is what is this worth?

 

[Ypedal]

You have to love the internet, imagine trying to figure that out without the web !!!

 

[The fingers]

Like a small version of those popular glass bricks incorperated into walls to admit light while providing privacy.

 

[marty]

UPDATE: [From a different glass collector]

It's one of four legs used to insulate early x-ray/medical type machines. If it's early enough, it will turn purple with sun exposure. I've seen them with at least 3-4 different attachment variations. I have a set of four in dark purple, with each pair still attached to a metal bracket.

There is one mark on the side that has the grove. This mark is shaped like this ( rotate clockwise, sad face.

Now if you turn the glass thing upside down the ( mark becomes a happy face. That would make a person feel better with early x-ray/medical type machines.

 

[marty]

Dimensions:
Big end with grove 2.30" square
Tapered part 2.08" to 1.87" square
Height 5.39"
Grove width .42"