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Topic: Mystery item needs id

Christopher Crouch
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 128
From: Holywood, ca, usa
Registered: May 2006

posted 01-12-2012 12:58 AM

I was recently contacted by a graduate student who is attempting to identify a mystery item from the historic Fargo Theatre. Below is a link to some pictures of the item and the description they sent:

Mystery Item

quote:
The item measures about 7 inches or 19 cm and it is on two wooden squares, hinged together. The bottom is covered in felt (protecting whatever it sits on), and the topside has circular item attached. The circular item sits on top of the wood plank, where there is a metal disk (held in by a wing-nut on the back) then there is a sheet of a once malleable material covering the metal disk, followed by nails every quarter of an inch holding it down, then on top of that there is the brass bracket holding this all in place. The item can be propped at three different levels and also can lay flat. Some have suggested that it was some sort of lighting devise, but ultimately there have been no conclusions.

Any ideas what it might be?

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Justin Hamaker
Film God

Posts: 2253
From: Lakeport, CA USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-12-2012 01:25 AM

It appears there is a mesh or screen overlaying the disk on the front. And I assume the circular hole on the inside is to accommodate the wing-nut when the device is folded closed. Since you say the bottom is covered in felt, I would assume the front part is intended to sit at something like a 30°-45° angle - propped up with the bar fitting into one of the 4 slots.

Difficult to imagine this being any kind of a lighting device since there is nowhere for light to filter through. I initially thought some kind of reflector, but that doesn't make sense if there is a screen over the metal disk on the front.

I wonder if it isn't meant to be some kind of wedge to hold something open.

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Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 01-12-2012 01:04 PM

I wonder if it is some sort of sound effects box?

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Victor Liorentas
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 800
From: london ontario canada
Registered: May 2009

posted 01-12-2012 01:10 PM

Everyone should know that's the GENESIS DEVICE! [Smile]

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Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 01-12-2012 01:34 PM

quote:
Everyone should know that's the GENESIS DEVICE!

Yep... A blind man could see the similarities! [Razz]

Boxoffice window cover, maybe?

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Lori Morris
Film Handler

Posts: 3
From: Chatsworth, California, USA
Registered: Jul 2010

posted 01-12-2012 03:06 PM

It looks like an old fashion theatre seat cup holder arm rest ;D

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Sam Graham
AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues.

Posts: 1431
From: Waukee, IA
Registered: Dec 2004

posted 01-12-2012 04:44 PM

It looks like something somebody built in shop class and then challenged their teacher to guess what it was.

I hope they got an F.

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Joe Elliott
Master Film Handler

Posts: 497
From: Port Orange, Fl USA
Registered: Oct 2006

posted 01-12-2012 06:28 PM

It was filed under H for penis streacher.

Seriously, however, it looks like some sort of lap desk, except for the wingnut. The bar fits into the grooves to give you the angle you want, but the wingnut tells me that something was mounted to it like a camera mount. Perhaps an old style camera mount, the hole being there so you can set it completely level?

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