18 People Who Went on a Mission to Identify Mysterious Items

When we see something that piques our curiosity, we get excited and we become eager to find out what it is. Just like the people on this list, who found mysterious objects and immediately sought the help of internet users to figure out their purpose.

Now I’ve Seen Everything picked out 20 items that are not familiar to everyone, but actually have really interesting or practical uses.

1. “Iron cone on either side of a gate located outside a building in England.”

• It’s a snuffer. A visitor to your house would use it to put out their torch. agamemnonIV / reddit

2. “What are these medal things on the corner of these stairs and what is their purpose?”

• Corner dust guards. They make it easier to sweep dust out of the corners. jackrats / reddit

3. "Wooden box with weird pattern inside and no lid. Approximately 18"x30"x3″."

• It looks like the mold for green sand casting, an iron grate. midrandom / reddit

4. “Expanding metal ring with ornate cap and handles.”

• It’s the opening to a vintage purse. Fabric would be sewn around the opening like a bag. LaaSirena / reddit

5. “A small bakelite toilet container with a spoon.”

• It’s a novelty mustard pot. Foundation_Wrong / reddit

6. “Spiky things on the ground at the petrol station.”

• For the birds, so they don’t nest. wierdmeout13 / reddit

7. “Thin decorated metal plate, 7 inches long”

• From the catch tray for a Keurig coffee maker. x420xCasper / reddit

8. “What is this chrome thing near the toilet and the TP holder?”

• Looks like a holder for magazines. “Literature” is an important bathroom supplies category — or at least used to be before smartphones, I guess. EspritFort / reddit

9. “Appears 40 feet long, nothing written on it, appears nothing is inside of it. 25 feet or so off of the ground. No sign of life around it for miles.”

• It was a scale house for the mine, given that it is on mine property and it (most likely) required equipment to build. RiptideJane / reddit

10. “This industrial vent thing in the middle of a park.”

• 18-million-gallon underground reservoir. “The underground reservoir is being built by the Mesa Consolidated Water District on about six acres of land on the old Lindbergh school site. The reservoir will be topped by a cement cover. The grassy field will be installed above the cover and will probably serve as a soccer field.” Cr3X1eUZ / reddit

11. “Found this ’tool’ at a thrift shop, made of what looks like tool steel with a stamp that starts with ’miller’ but can’t make out the rest.”

• Looks like a bit for cutting a large circle, brace and bit era. JasonStrode / reddit

12. “Found in our 1955 camp. All sheet metal, can be wall mounted. Only legible embossed markings just say patent pending.”

• A wall mount and reflector for an oil lamp. George__Hale / reddit

13. “This copper plaque with a name and death date scratched out that I found in the ground on my parents’ farm.”

• It’s a casket plaque that was likely made in the cutlery mill that used to be on the property of a woman in my town named Katherine Healy! We’re not sure the specifics on why it was scratched out, but it was probably due to a defect in the plaque, and it was discarded. christopherwaverly / reddit

14. “What is this glass section from? Found on a beach.”

• It’s a vacuum ejector out of glass. Used one in chemistry class. Water flowing will create a depression. Rings are for the rubber pipe to fit better. atsju / reddit

15. “What is this 1.75 inch metal cube with an oval slot?”

• Wild guess, but I could see this being used as a bottle opener. The wear marks on the metal support the idea. WittySmoke / reddit

16. “What is this box used for? Seems to have a specific function with the slots on the side. Found at a swap meet.”

• Looks like a magazine holder. jackrats / reddit

17. “This wooden platform at the top of a mountain — like a ramp to nowhere — about 16 feet square.”

• It’s a hang glider launch. They only need a small launch platform. Us paragliding guys like a bit more space. Our wings are not inflated until we get a little wind into them. We need a bit more space to get going. _Piratical_ / reddit

18. “This cone-shaped copper thing I found while metal detecting in Iowa.”

• It looks like a finial, likely nailed to a wooden part through the holes. The larger part turns because it was made as a separate piece. The nails are in the upper part, so it doesn’t spin and that will hold the lower piece in place. 510Goodhands / reddit

Do you have any object or construction that you would like to know what its original purpose was?