Help with information about 17th century flea trap

[edteach]

I had a couple of these that had screw studs on the bottom. I was told by an antique dealer that it was for a bone letter opener that was once attached and that the hole in the top was for a stanhope. I sold them off years ago, but since then I found that it looks exactly like a 17th century flea trap. I wonder if the letter opener was something that was a dual purpose thing. A letter opener and flea trap that could be detached and worn around the neck. I tried to look up the history of these but can find very little. Thanks for any help.

 

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[Tpmetal]

From what I could find it was invented by a German doctor Franz Ernst in the early 1700s. They were baited with a pieces of fur with blood on it to attract the fleas, sometimes cloth with honey and blood was used as well. Used by all classes of people due to the living conditions and sanitation standards at the time, the rich making fancy ones used as accessories.

 

[Red-Coat]

It's beautifully carved, but if it were to have served as a flea trap, it should pull apart or unscrew. There needs to be a way to insert the bait and remove dead fleas trapped by it.

 

[edteach]

I bought the letter opener, also picked up this one, it looks like this one is just for wearing around the neck. I can not find much on these. This is about all I have found so far.

 

[Red-Coat]

That second one deffo looks like a flea trap.

They've been used for centuries. Very popular in Britain during the time of the Black Death in the middle ages but most examples are Georgian or later, during the period when large wigs were commonly worn (by both sexes). The bait was most commonly a rolled piece of rag or linen that has been smeared with animal fat, blood, honey or jam.

Not sure what else you want to know, apart from the info and examples that can easily be found by Googling.