Topic: THIS IS NOT A PAPERWEIGHT, But What Is It???

[chopin-liszt]

I was on a no-hoper from the start, obviously.
I don't iron anything, ever. 

I was starting to suspect some sort of exfoliator/pumice/unwanted-hair remover or a sharpening/honing "stone".

You're not blonde, Ivo,   

I'm old and blonde.

[Paul S.]

the 'clue', Patricia, which enables this to be found on the 'search' facility, is the word stone to accompany your pix  -  if the word black is combined, then up pops the previous example.

It seems that the C18 and early C19 examples had handles - often reeded or bobbin shaped to give better grip, and appear to have been made in a variety of places in Europe.           Apparently there was a purpose made small glass water sprinkler that accompanied these later smoothers, especially when pleating starched ruffles.                Very tiresome to use without a handle, surely.                 

[Lustrousstone]

Aww that's not fair. I didn't give the answer away, exactly, unless there was too much mouse waving around 

[Patricia]

Ivo , Christine, I admire all that glass knowledge you both have and I'm only too happy to be able to come with my glass queries to you both. But when either of you get involved in a guessing game it's soon over!
There's just too much knowledge then 

Patricia

[David E]

Very tiresome to use without a handle, surely.

Not so. Here's a link to the book that PC mentioned. Amongst these pages you will come across an early illustration (p.29) that shows a woman using one (I presume) without a handle.

[Ohio]

Aww that's not fair. I didn't give the answer away, exactly, unless there was too much mouse waving around 

No Christine it was Paul. When he talked about his DW & electricity it suddenly dawned on my addled brain that I had seen of one of these in an exhibit on early colonial America many years ago & a comment was made on the exhibit card that was something along the line of thank goodness for electricity.

[Lustrousstone]

I did put the answer in white though. I thought I did pretty well remembering something that had just four comments over five years ago. (What have I just had for breakfast?) Here is a link to the previous thread http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,19182.0.html

[Paul S.]

quote..................."Not so. Here's a link to the book that PC mentioned. Amongst these pages you will come across an early illustration (p.29) that shows a woman using one (I presume) without a handle."

no wonder they were all dead by the age of 40.........from chronic this and chronic that........bet she's got biceps like a stonebreaker.

[dirk.]

And if you look for the german version the terms would be ´Glättstein´, ´Gniddelstein´ or ´Bügelstein´.
(suppose they also sound very german?)