Topic: mystery drinking object.

[ju1i3]

There are glass leech tubes to place leeches on the body but that isn't one of them. There are some leech tubes on this page towards the bottom http://www.phisick.com/zphleb.htm.

[rosieposie]

A fascinating site Juli3.....
Is it worth asking them if they would have a look at your pictures Paul?

There ia a vague similarity with the very old Islamic one http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cupping_glass_Louvre_MAOS705.jpg  but it is too easy to get side tracked. :wsh:

[ju1i3]

Yea, I saw that. It is similar to the mystery object but I'm not sure it is a cupping glass. I've never seen one like it and I don't know how that could work. Cupping is about creating a vacuum and that has 2 different holes in it.

[Paul S.]

really do appreciate the suggestions and lines of thought girls, but I'm going to discount both the leech and cupping ideas for the time being, thanks for the links ju1i3.      I am convinced this spout is for pouring a liquid, not placing in the mouth - although whether the top hole (plus thumb)  is meant to perform the task of creating a vacuum I'm unsure.........tho I have a strong feeling it does.    The lack of a handle might indicate that the object is not meant to be held for any appreciable time - just very briefly to perfom its task.  Sorry to seem dismissive rosie, but I'm having trouble going with the medical irrigation theory - again wouldn't a handle be a requisite?   I've racked my brains over this and achieved almost nothing, so will give it a rest for a while, and fingers crossed the V. & A. might come up with the answer  -  although by all means please continue looking - I do appreciate your keeness - and not foregetting help from ju1i3

[rosieposie]

OK Paul,  but don't totally dismiss the irrigator route.....after all, an undine doesn't have a handle, but does have a spout and a control hole......

[Ivo]

While visiting the medical and pharmaceutical museum in Delft yesterday I discovered a whole lot of lookalikes. These are breast relievers, used in lactation. Some are flat, some are round, some have a manual pump attached, some are entirely made in glass and some in a combination of glass and rubber. The museum had around 20 different ones, all in glass.

http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1895/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1895-24740.jpg
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mhWcjg2DXBSEkccQ2lNpHA

[Anik R]

Absolutely fascinating.  (Ivo, perhaps glass paraphernalia for breast milk is your next book in-the-making?)

[Bernard C]

If your experience at the V&A is anything like mine with the Rackow Library at Corning this year you may have to wait a lot longer than 20 days... I have been waiting over 2 months for the Rackow to get back to me about a simple document enquiry,   ...

Robert — I heard that the Rackow was installing new racking / shelving earlier this year.   They may still be involved in the end of that major operation.

Bernard C. 

[Lustrousstone]

Some are flat, some are round, some have a manual pump attached, some are entirely made in glass and some in a combination of glass and rubber.

Speaking from experience, they would almost certainly all have had some sort of suction device attached to them if they are not just nipple shields. Otherwise there is no point to them.

[Anik R]

Christine, couldn't this object been used to catch milk that was manually extracted (i.e. squeezed by hand) from the breast?