Is it a Dohickey or Thingamajig?

[TicDeLaRue]

I need your help solving a 43 year old mystery.

One day while riding my Schwinn Stingray I found this item in Texas City, TX. A neighbor a few blocks from my home had cleaned out their garage and placed it in a pile of discarded 'treasures'. After spending three days visiting this glorious pile of junk where I carted home numerous hand tools for dad I brought this thing home, polished it up and my mother placed on a shelf beside the fireplace and there it sat for 30+ years. Mom passed 10 years ago and since then it has been in the archway above my front door.

It is made of brass with a brass wire loop that makes a nice handle. The bottom which is soldered on has a slight depression. It does not have any writing or makers mark on it. The small screw on lid has a black rubber gasket with a thin stainless wire in it that is a little thinner than a straight pin.

Any help you guys can provide identifying what this is would be greatly appreciated. Let me know if you need any more details or a better photo.

 

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[digging440yrs]

DOHICKEY--

 

[BosnMate]

Definitely a thingamahickey. It probably held oil, and the stainless wire would have a bead of oil on it, to get into hard to get to places on perhaps a sewing machine, or just a touch of oil on a watch gear, something like that.

 

[chenty]

YEP! That's one of them Dohickey's

But really I have no idea but it's cooooool looking thanks for the look

 

[Breezie]

Well, that thingabobbie-doohickey looks like a brass Victorian ladies' muff warmer! (Don't laugh LOL LOL LOL) The container would be filled with hot water and the temp of the water could be tested on the wrist with a drop or two from the wire. Those made in the 1850s-60's had a chain, and looked more like a purse instead of a stationary hanger like yours. Breezie

 

[bigfoot1]

I'm goin with breezy on this....an alternative would be an early iron

 

[CaptainCook]

That looks like an ancient iron, so now you just have to find the board.

 

[Lafitte Deux]

The "handle" does look like a heating coil to me. Can you tell if it is hollow?

 

[CoilyGirl]

Neat doohickey for sure!

 

[TicDeLaRue]

It is hollow and hold exactly 6 ounces when filled with water and set on its base

 

[TicDeLaRue]

I was guessing it would be a companion piece to some other tool which held some type of mineral spirit and the small pin in the cap would be used to clean some sort of small orifice when it became clogged.