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Hi Bill
Your third object - large wooden tongs - is a shoemakers clamp.
This was held between the shoemakers knees, for holding work (the shoe) near the seam when sewing. So for example when the shoemaker is closing the upper.
It was also used for other leather working.
Rebecca
Rebecca Shawcross
Senior Shoe Curator
The Guildhall
St Giles Square
Northampton
NN1 1DE
Direct: 01604 837281
Follow us on Twitter @NorthamptonShoe
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Northampton Borough Council | The Guildhall St Giles Square, Northampton NN1 1DE | [Directorate] | 0300 330 7000
-----Original Message-----
From: Social History Curators Group email list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of william Longshaw
Sent: 29 January 2018 12:33
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Mystery objects
This is an email sent via the SHCG List. If you reply to this message, your message will be sent to all the people on the list, not just the author of this message.
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Hello SHCG,
Three more 'mystery' objects have come to light during Gallery Oldham's on-going rationalisation project.
The first has a 2 ft (600mm) blade. No idea what it was used for - do you have one in your collection?
The second is almost certainly some kind of string, cotton or twine dispenser. I'm guessing for shop use, given the decorative base. Again, do you have one?
The third, a very large set of wooden tongs 2ft 6" (750mm) might have had any number of uses. Laundry, dyeing, tanning etc. Any firmer identification would be most welcome.
Thanks in advance for your time.
Bill Longshaw
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Northampton Borough Council, The Guildhall, Northampton, United Kingdom, NN1 1DE
+44 (0)300 330 7000
www.northampton.gov.uk
The SHCG list is provided for members of Social History Curators Group to discuss subjects relevant to social history in museums. To join SHCG visit www.shcg.org.uk . Opinions expressed in this email are the responsibility of the author and are not necessarily shared by SHCG. To leave the list do not reply to this message but send an email to [log in to unmask] with a blank subject line and these words as the body of the email: SIGNOFF SHCG-LIST