What Is It?

James Hanley

James Hanley is a two-bit college professor who'd rather be canoeing.

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11 Responses

  1. Mike Dwyer says:

    They look like gambrels but I’ve never seen wooden ones before. I had to do an image search and it looks pretty similar.

    http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mPpp8RHb355X_GjxUJod6Jw.jpgReport

  2. Road Scholar says:

    Just a wild guess, but maybe they’re for hanging a jacket and slacks to dry. They would hang between two adjacent clotheslines mounted at the ISO standard ( ;-P ) spacing of 18 inches.Report

  3. zic says:

    I think it’s part of something called a Wooley Board, a device used for blocking sweaters. (A form to hold them in shape while they dry.)Report

  4. Burt Likko says:

    Can you tell what kind of wood they are? Cedar repels moths, which suggests the guesses about hanging sweaters may be right.Report

    • James Hanley in reply to Burt Likko says:

      Neither Johanna nor I think it smells like cedar. Kind of looks like white pine.Report

      • zic in reply to James Hanley says:

        Definitely looks like pine, not cedar. (Cedar, btw, will smell of cedar if you lightly sand or scratch it.)

        I’m wrong about the wooley board; a fine Scottish invention, btw.

        I think it’s part of a valet stand; for hanging a suit overnight, brushing out, etc. For an example, look at how the valet cares for Lord Grantham’s wardrobe in scenes from Downton Abbey. The bend arms would go over hooks on the stand, which would hold the clothing stable for brushing, a more modern hanger would swing and sway. The top for pants, the bottom for a jacket/coat.Report

      • Road Scholar in reply to James Hanley says:

        I’m changing my answer to valet stand as well.Report

  5. James Hanley says:

    A facebook friend suggests steamer trunk hangers. I think we have a winner.

    The next question is, what do we do with them? We can’t just throw away antiques like this, but have no actual use for them.Report