Can You Help Identify These 10 Mystery Items?

Here are 10 mystery items that have stumped social media users, causing several debates. Are you able to identify them?

Things of the past aren’t just cool or beautiful pieces of history. They’re also mysterious. Here are 10 mystery items that have confused social media users.

1. Metal and Wood Mystery Item

Rusted old metal base. Wood floor and books in the background.

The first mystery item on this list has perplexed people, with many offering numerous uses. Some have said it holds saddles, while others suggested a woodcutter. In contrast, it’s also been suggested that the mystery item is a base. Some explained their grandparents had them for washing machines. Others suggested a base for a butter churn. Additionally, a wooden vintage high chair from 1890 has an almost identical base, although the mystery item is made of metal. In contrast, the mystery item has wheels on the bottom, so it’s also possibly a base for a vintage baby stroller. Either way, it’s possible this mystery item was multi-functional but is most likely incomplete.

2. Mystery Items for Food

Old wooden box with a grater inside and a crank on the outside.
various vintage items
 
Leah Berenson
Leah Berenson
June 14, 2024 ·  4 min read

Can You Help Identify These 10 Mystery Items?

Things of the past aren’t just cool or beautiful pieces of history. They’re also mysterious. Here are 10 mystery items that have confused social media users.

 
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1. Metal and Wood Mystery Item

Rusted old metal base. Wood floor and books in the background.
Image Credit: Lynn Gray Ruvang | ODT
 
 

The first mystery item on this list has perplexed people, with many offering numerous uses. Some have said it holds saddles, while others suggested a woodcutter. In contrast, it’s also been suggested that the mystery item is a base. Some explained their grandparents had them for washing machines. Others suggested a base for a butter churn. Additionally, a wooden vintage high chair from 1890 has an almost identical base, although the mystery item is made of metal. In contrast, the mystery item has wheels on the bottom, so it’s also possibly a base for a vintage baby stroller. Either way, it’s possible this mystery item was multi-functional but is most likely incomplete.

 

2. Mystery Items for Food

Old wooden box with a grater inside and a crank on the outside.
Image Credit: Madeleine Levagg| ODT
 

Madeleine Levaggi explained: “This has been a toughie to identify. Before you tell me it’s a cotton gin, know that I wrote the Cotton Museum of South Carolina and they informed me that it was not a cotton gin. The logo says Brevetto Ferrari 2. Any ideas?”

A Google search of “Brevetto Farrari 2” indicates that Worth Point auction house is selling an almost identical box. According to the website, the mystery item is a box for grating cheese.

3. Mystery Item: Unexplained

Two porcelain or clay pots sit side by side on a table. White wall in the background.

Theresa Goulette Crane posted a picture sharing that she’d inherited the items, not knowing what they were or how they were used. Sadly, Dusty Old Things had no idea what they were, asking readers for their input. Unfortunately, there’s little information regarding these cool but mysterious items

4. A Seemingly Useful Mystery Item

Reenie Ragle Vermillion shared a picture of a mystery item in her home. Although little is known about the object, a similar image indicates it may be a vintage washing machine.

5. Mystery Goo

Bag of yellow goo. Wood in the background.

“No markings on the bag. It’s full of air, and the stuff is a weird spongey consistency. There was nothing else in the package besides the spoons. I have no idea wtf this is!” Exclaimed storm-singer. Although this bizarre mystery goo stumped people, several users agreed the mystery item was likely a type of clay for crafting. “It’s super light, air dry clay. Probably fell into your package by mistake. I’ve bought quite a bit and it has come with each color sealed in a bag like this. It feels really cool to play with. Amazon bonus!” One person explained. Meanwhile, several others agreed.

Another shared: “Here’s a link with pictures of the clay in similar packages. Looks exactly like some of the packets in kits I’ve bought for my kids.”

Read More: Can You Identify This “Mystery” Tool?

6. A Small Green Box

Wooden box painted green with hints of pink and gold.

Green painted wooden box with 2 sets of hinges. Top opens to reveal storage area with cylindrical insert. Bottom opens to shallow storage area.” One uncertain Redditor shared. “Lined with pink material. 8” square, 7″ high.” The green box appears to be delicately detailed and finely crafted, and many have suggested its purpose was to hold jewelry or cuffs and collars from old-timey suits.

7. “grey fibrous plastic dome”

Plastic dome overgrown with ivy.

Since moving in we have been slowly taming some of the wooded area and about a year ago discovered this structure, at the time it was completely covered with ivy so we just left it be. Tonight we noticed much of the ivy has died off and curiosity finally got the better of us. What are we looking at here??” Questioned CrescentFraiche, explaining: “The base is a ring of blocks that appears to resemble a fire pit or a well, but what is really throwing us for a loop is this huge plastic type dome (weighs approximately 30 pounds) that was covering everything, and to make it even more confusing to us is that the inside of it seemed to have been completely lined with wood that has now mostly rotted and fallen into the ground underneath.”

Many users suggested very insightful possibilities such as a water well cover, a fire pit, or a pond.

8. Still Uncertain

Black plastic mystery item. White background.

This mystery item was “found in an old gym bag” by boobnoob00. Sadly, there’s still no final answer clarifying the mystery item’s purpose. However, there has been a range of answers including a cell phone clip, a sports card stand, or a challenge coin stand.

9.

“About 4 feet tall – On the roof of an industrial park – illuminates at night” the post was captioned.

According to Reddit, this mystery item has been solved. “This is an Ubiquiti Unifi 60 Ghz Building to Building bridge , it is a 60 Ghz point-to-point wireless link. I work with these every day. The LED ring around it is for status and alignment.” Wrote one insightful user.

10. Mystery T

Hand holding a piece of metal in the shape of a "T."

Metal, t shaped object getting stuck in tires and deflating them. Found on the road. Any ideas?” Questioned Reddit user GuardianOfTheQuest. So many answers included the possibility of a Tesla logo, the OP had to request people stop making that suggestion. Other possibilities include something involving construction, a part from a motor, or a washer pawl.