Whats It 1 and 2

Hi,

Whats it #1
I have had this thing for a year or two. I don't know what it is. I don't know how I got it. I am afraid to throw it away until I learn what it is (It might be important).

Does anyone out there know what it is?


Whats It 3.jpgWhats It 4.jpg



Whats it #2
I know what this is---Do You?

Take your guess!
 

Attachments

  • Whats it 1.jpg
    Whats it 1.jpg
    70.9 KB · Views: 68
Last edited:
#2 is a porcelain electrical switch - probably dates back to the late 1930's or 40's. We had a bunch of them in the old farmhouse I grew up in. They were likely installed when the house was 'upgraded' from gas lights to 'modern' knob & tube electrics.
 
Jim,

That was a fast and correct reply. I turned the switch a few degrees so the two holes on one side show. There are 2 holes on the opposite side for the power to continue on to wherever.
When I was a child many of the houses had this kind of wiring (though we never did). The wires were separate, a black one and a white one. They ran up, down and/or across the walls on the INSIDE of the room. There were "porcelain" spreaders to keep the wires about 1 1/2 inches apart. The wires that ran horizontally were normally in the attic.

It didn't look too neat. It certainly was not too safe. However, it sure made for easy installation.

The Good Ole Days???

Enjoy,
JimB
 

Attachments

  • Whats it 2.jpg
    Whats it 2.jpg
    56.6 KB · Views: 9
Yeah, those are the light switches that were in houses when you were in college, right? :rolleyes:. The other whoos-it has me stumped but, it looks like something that might come with a laser printer.
 
My mom had something similar to #1 that held needles for her sewing machine, but those black things aren't needles....:huh:
 
what about mechanical pencil leads? for number one and the switch in my aera had a flip type switch not twist. and i think they call that post and knob style wiring.
 
#1 Looks like a sewing machine needle holder...have a few of them. But the ends almost have a stylus look to them.
 
Top