Medicine mill

by | Apr 20, 2022 | Mystery Objects

This cast iron medicine mill was used by Chinese workers on the Gympie goldfields in the mid-nineteenth century. It was donated to the museum by Mr Q Show Yin in 1959, having been handed down through his family. The shape and style of this grinder was popular in China...

Kerosene lamp

by | Apr 20, 2022 | Mystery Objects

Kerosene lamps were popularised in the mid-nineteenth century when Polish inventor Ignacy Łukasiewicz discovered that kerosene could be extracted from petroleum. Kerosene was a much cleaner, cheaper and brighter alternative to oil lamps or candles.This lamp is...

Powder flask

by | Apr 20, 2022 | Mystery Objects

A powder flask was used for carrying gunpowder and dispensing it into a rifle. They fell out of fashion in the nineteenth century when pre-made paper cartridges began being used. Copper was a common material used in their construction, and they were often elaborately...

Hoop driver

by | Apr 20, 2022 | Mystery Objects

This tool is used by a cooper to make wooden barrels or buckets. Hoops are the metal bands that go around a barrel. In conjunction with a hammer, a hoop driver would push hoops tightly down onto the cone shape of a barrel, securing the wooden planks (or ‘staves’) into...

Cheque writer

by | Apr 20, 2022 | Mystery Objects

This Protectograph cheque writer was made in the USA by the Todd Company in the early 20th century.The cheque was rolled through machine by placing it on the side platform and turning the handle. The words would be printed onto the cheque by selecting them with the...