the designs around the top of the device indicate the time period to be around the late 1400's, during the Spanish inquisition. The spiked metal would probably have been used as a torture device in which limbs, fingers, and other extremities would have be placed and crushed, causing excessive bleeding, and broken bone fragments that would pierce the skin. This device was painful, and so it lasted through the ages, being used again in the Salem witch trials in 1692-1693. Larger versions were used to crush the body and elongated spikes in different versions pierced the skin and drew blood, as well as causing infection and gangrenous skin and pierced innards
that about sums it up especially the don't ask don't tell being repealed, Steve jobs's death and Osama Bin Laden dying. The earthquake and tornado photos are startlingly sad, abd horrible
this is an antique paper shredder, used circa 1890. the lever is pulled back and the paper is pushed under it. it is then pulled through the spikes underneath, shredding it into strips. It was based on a farm combine, feeding the paper into the blade, and shredding it, like a combine shreds separates the corm and stems this was an inefficient system that might have taken several tries to get the paper actually shredded. this was a luxury item, as the poor and middle class then could often not even afford paper. as the 1900's were hit the new hand cranked version of this device become a hit seller among the middle class and the upper class, because so many people bought this device that it became affordable. Thomas Alva Edison invented the electric paper shredder, and the company that made these mechanical versions became bankrupt in 1921, and this device became obsolete. this is one of only a few still around, and is probably worth a few hundred dollars if sold to a museum, would probably bring in the dough. this was also the cause of many injuries to fingers as the sharp blade was left unguarded, and there were no plastic safety covers available, unless you wanted to buy a latex tree, which in order to get you would have to travel to the amazon rainforest
I think it is a sacred water purifier from Hawaii or Australia. They would use it to distill their holy water for worship, though I have no data to prove this. here's hoping
The spiked metal would probably have been used as a torture device in which limbs, fingers, and other extremities would have be placed and crushed, causing excessive bleeding, and broken bone fragments that would pierce the skin.
This device was painful, and so it lasted through the ages, being used again in the Salem witch trials in 1692-1693.
Larger versions were used to crush the body and elongated spikes in different versions pierced the skin and drew blood, as well as causing infection and gangrenous skin and pierced innards
this was an inefficient system that might have taken several tries to get the paper actually shredded. this was a luxury item, as the poor and middle class then could often not even afford paper.
as the 1900's were hit the new hand cranked version of this device become a hit seller among the middle class and the upper class, because so many people bought this device that it became affordable.
Thomas Alva Edison invented the electric paper shredder, and the company that made these mechanical versions became bankrupt in 1921, and this device became obsolete.
this is one of only a few still around, and is probably worth a few hundred dollars if sold to a museum, would probably bring in the dough.
this was also the cause of many injuries to fingers as the sharp blade was left unguarded, and there were no plastic safety covers available, unless you wanted to buy a latex tree, which in order to get you would have to travel to the amazon rainforest
here's hoping