A two part question -- what was this used for and what will I use it for. When I saw it, I knew it would be a perfect tool for me, but not in the way expected.
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Last week's mystery antique.
Comments
I think it is a hemming measure,to measure and mark hems.
A hemming measure sounds right to me, too. It could certainly be useful for that!
But perhaps it began life as a measure used to show how much head-room foods needed when being canned???
You will use it to measure cookie jars.
I think it was for foot size.
I imagine I see a zipper so perhaps it’s meant to mark and measure a zipper. If it were used for hemming, I suspect it would need to be a rather long hem line. I could totally see using it to measure feet and make slippers
Looks like a slide measure that used when you get your feet measured to buy shoes. What you would use it for? Your guess is as good as mine.
Foot sizer for shoes
I think it is a foot measure to tell what size shoe you wear
Nope it is not a foot measure thingie… admit it looks like one, but it’s actually would be for pretty big feet.
Did you give a size for this? That may be an obvious answer if this is marking inches. If that is so, then it has to measure something that is at least 10″ long or wide and less than 22″. Are there also measurements on the reverse or is that side plain? Does it have anything to do with measuring lumber or parcels for shipping?
Sharon,
Yes the entire metal piece is slightly over 22″ long and measures “something” that would start at 10″ and go to 22″. Now that being said, the thing it measures can be anywhere from 1″ to many many feet long, but one wouldn’t use it for all of them. There would be other gadgets/tools to measure to the really large “things”.
Is it to measure the length of a fish?
For a second guess,could it be used to measure depth of things,such as cookie dough,pie crusts,etc. But not necessarily for cooking,
I’m going to guess that it has something go do with measuring lumber or boards . . . maybe the width.
Marcus has it right! It is a gadget to measure how big your catch was — fish catch that is!