What is this? What is It?!? Please identify...

[connecticut yankee]

This object is now for sale on eBay. Seller has identified it in his auction and claims it was found on Gettysburg battlefield. For fun, I won't tell you just yet what he says it is. Can you identify this Civil War relic?

 

[UCVRelics]

I'm not going to tell but its medical lets see if our mrdical guru @lelliott19 knows.

 

[John Winn]

Why, that's a phelectomy nurnum.

 

[19thGeorgia]

Why, that's a phelectomy nurnum.

Can't be. That's phrenology bladgette placker.

 

[John Winn]

Can't be. That's phrenology bladgette placker.

No way. Wrong screw head size for one of those.

 

[JOHN42768]

Alcohol burner for sterilizing.

 

[CowCavalry]

Cigar lighter.

 

[CowCavalry]

Regardless, its probably never been near Culp's Hill.

 

[19thGeorgia]

No way. Wrong screw head size for one of those.

...but nurnums don't have plackers.

 

[connecticut yankee]

I LOVE ALL THE ANSWERS SO FAR! Keep um comin'!

 

[CowCavalry]

Thingy for bleeding folks, though I think they had discontinued bleeding by the ACW...

 

[CowCavalry]

Yay!

 

[lelliott19]

Its called a scarificator. It's spring loaded and has lots of blades for more efficient "blood letting" than a plain old single bladed fleam. I doubt it has ever been to Culps Hill.

 

[mcrow43]

Yup, first thought it was for bleeding people, lots of little blades on the bottom.

 

[Harman Farm]

If it was found on Culp's Hill, what's it doing on eBay??? I am under the impression that metal detecting and relic taking are a big no no no on NPS and other federally protected land. That kinda stuff will get you excommunicated from America.

 

[Lubliner]

I believe the seller drank all the whiskey from the flask.
Lubliner.

 

[klongstreet]

A witness thingy................I must know as i lost it last month whilst looking for shoes.

 

[drezac]

Red backdrop = red flag - I looked at that on Ebay to confirm this, - it's listed by generallee2929 - be very careful. many of the items he lists should be considered suspect. I have seen him list "rare" items, that seem to show up again every few months with the same photo. A prime example is the "rare artillery linstock" he must have found a few cases of them leftover from bannermans, as they keep showing up every few months with the same photo

 

[Harman Farm]

OK, here's what I don't get about all this relics selling online... knowing that it is at the very least a Federal offense to hunt for and remove from NPS or other federally protected land ANYTHING (not just relics from past events), why would you list something as being found and removed from a specific area that is well with the boundaries of the park??? Why not just say it was found in Gettysburg and just leave it at that?? That's a pretty nebulous answer considering all the privately owned land surrounding the town. If challenged you could say "I found it on private property".... End of conversation. Just look on eBay and you'll see what I mean. Someone has a piece of an " artillery shell " that supposedly was found at the PA memorial. That's just being stuck on stupid.

 

[Harman Farm]

OK, here's what I don't get about all this relics selling online... knowing that it is at the very least a Federal offense to hunt for and remove from NPS or other federally protected land ANYTHING (not just relics from past events), why would you list something as being found and removed from a specific area that is well with the boundaries of the park??? Why not just say it was found in Gettysburg and just leave it at that?? That's a pretty nebulous answer considering all the privately owned land surrounding the town. If challenged you could say "I found it on private property".... End of conversation. Just look on eBay and you'll see what I mean. Someone has a piece of an " artillery shell " that supposedly was found at the PA memorial. That's just being stuck on stupid