Scantlings

This thing has been bothering me since it appeared among a bunch of stuff in my parents' apartment and I'm afraid my daughter will find it among my possessions and be driven crazy, too. If I find out what the hell it's for, I will label it.

It appears to be made of silver. The studs are fixed; one is pointed, the other rounded. That's all what I can tell you.

I have faith that one of you will recognize it or figure it out.

It is a scribe for marking circles

TheOffice wrote:It is a scribe for marking circles

I wondered about that and you may well be right, but why:

The rounded stud, which doesn't mark well?
Nothing on the back to help the user hold the center in place?
The fixed radius of about 4.5"?
The gradations?
Is it made out of expensive metal?

Splain me.

Hold the smooth end. Use it like a compass to draw a circle. Or hold it at a given distance from the end to mark a straight line along a board etc.

Or if you are from Dowton Abby make sure your silverware is spaced properly on the table.

TheOffice wrote:Hold the smooth end. Use it like a compass to draw a circle. Or hold it at a given distance from the end to mark a straight line along a board etc.

Or if you are from Dowton Abby make sure your silverware is spaced properly on the table.

I'd go with the measurement of placement of plates, sliverware, glasses, etc.... That explains the silver vs some cheaper metal.

BeauV wrote:

TheOffice wrote:Hold the smooth end. Use it like a compass to draw a circle. Or hold it at a given distance from the end to mark a straight line along a board etc.

Or if you are from Dowton Abby make sure your silverware is spaced properly on the table.

I'd go with the measurement of placement of plates, sliverware, glasses, etc.... That explains the silver vs some cheaper metal.

I'm coming around to that view. How prosaic.

You guys are very smart, even if you're not right.

If it's a butler stick, it's a lousy one. My mom threw a lot of dinner parties, it was usually my job to set the table. We had a 24" stick to measure plate center to plate center, as that is considered the ideal spacing. The stick had other marks to help place glasses and smaller plates.

She'd come in to check my work before the party. During the party, well, serve to the left, remove from the right. Anyone need a set of escargot plates and tongs for 12?

Her dining table and chairs came from one of the Newport mansions when the contents were being auctioned in the 1960's.

Does seem short, but the studs are would be right for marking a table cloth.

Maybe so Milady could measure her gentlemen? Breeding and all that. Would explain the short length. Big bank account, short stick . . . . . . .

I'll get my coat.

Tucky wrote:Maybe so Milady could measure her gentlemen? Breeding and all that. Would explain the short length. Big bank account, short stick . . . . . . .

I'll get my coat.

Prize for most entertaining entry. Make sure you get your hat, too.