Tossing Pebbles in the Stream

This blog is my place to sit and toss pebbles into the stream. The stream of Life relentlessly passing before us. We can affect it little. For the most part I just watch it passing and follow the flow. Occasionally, I need to comment on its passing, tossing a pebble at it to enjoy the ripple affect upon Life's surface.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

What Are These?

Below are a couple of my treasures. Can you identify them?

The top one is a "brass knuckle" (made of steel), the only weapon I own. I discovered it hidden in the wall of my Qeen Anne Style, Late Victorian house in New Haven, CT years ago. It was with a small quantity of white powder and a vial of oily substance that seems to have degraded. Must be a story there.

The bottom picture is of leather heal protectors. You pull them on over your socks and they protect them from wearing holes in the heals. They are from a time when men wore real wool socks which can wear through easily. My dear friend, Madam Carre, gave them to me. Her husband, Isadore, must have worn them years ago. There was a time when loggers went into the bush to live in a lumber camp all Winter. With these leather heals their socks would last longer away from the wife to mend them. These were commercially made so I guess they were widely used in the country. They would be good for farmers who are always slipping rubber boots on and off, which is how I rub the heals out of my socks.

7 Comments:

At 1:42 a.m., Anvilcloud said...: Interesting, but treasures? :)
At 8:23 a.m., Peggy said...: I knew the brass knuckles but didn't have a clue what the heel protectors were. I don't think I have ever seen them in any shops. Growing up in the mountains you think they would have been used alot. My mother would have loved for dad and my brothers to have had some I am sure. :) have a great weekend
At 9:26 a.m., Loretta said...: I remember my first boyfriend had some brass knuckles but i have never heard of the heel protectors! Sounds like a good ideal. Take care.
At 6:44 p.m., Janet said...: I missed the brass knuckles because I thought they were an imprint on a piece of ceramic. And I never heard of the heel protectors, but it sounds like an excellent idea!
At 8:05 p.m., Renie Burghardt said...: Like everyone else, I have heard of brass knuckles, but have never heard of leather heel protectos.

Your post on Dr. King is great. He was a "hero" and a great leader.

I enjoyed the pictures and stories about the runt and the cats and Gage. Animals make life more interesting and joyful.

Best wishes,

Renie
At 2:33 p.m., amelia said...: Never heard of heel protectors, sounds like a good idea!
At 3:57 p.m., Tom said...: I still have Knuckles for my past life.. and I did think the others were knee pads.. I bet like most knuckles there would be many a story to be told.. and many more that are best left forgotten.
I can see a great use was had by the heel protectors... in fact you could say that both items had something to do with 'heel' but maybe the 'sole' won. ha!