01 of 25 Witchpost From East End Cottage Whitby Literary & Philosophical Society An assortment of antique tools and household items, along with prices and values. As explained by the Whitby Museum:

A witchpost from East End Cottage, Egton. Witch posts are almost exclusively a feature of the North York Moors region. It is a solid upright timber of oak or rowan wood which is built as part of a house's structure, often by the fireplace. It has a carved cross near the top of the post and it is thought their purpose was to protect the house and its inhabitants from witches. It has also been suggested that itinerant priests in the 17th century who sheltered in the house may have given a blessing on the house and its inhabitants, the occasion being recorded by the carving of a cross on one of these posts. Whatever, the custom is of remote antiquity and a remarkable relic of superstition. There is very little information to be found on witchposts, but one lengthy article can be found here by noted author Peter Walker. It poses some questions and has a few more theories on this interesting subject.

02 of 25 Simmons Korn Krusher Korn Krusher. Simmons and Company Auctioneers This is a Korn Krusher 1 1/2 made by Simmons Hardware Company. The Korn Krusher was made to crack corn for the farm chickens. Size: 12 3/4"

Sold Date: June 2009

Auction Price: $120.

03 of 25 Poster Tack Hammer Poster Hammer. Barb Crews This long hammer is a poster hammer! Looking at the other side of the head of the hammer, a slot held the tack or nail so it can be used high on the wall. Also visible is part of the clip that actually held the poster so it could secured to the wall. All I can say is that it made perfect sense to me when it's use was explained to me as I held the hammer. Size: 30"

Price: $125.

04 of 25 Axe Holding Display Axe Holding Display. Simmons and Company Axe Holding Display with card on back "Griggs Hardware Co. Neosho, MO. Patented Mar 11, 1899 July 9, 1907 Auction Date: June 2008

Auction Price: $250.

05 of 25 The American Bull Dog Boot Jack American Bull Dog Boot Jack. Tom Harris Auctions American Bull Dog Boot Jack sold by Tom Harris Auctions. Material: Cast Iron

Folds to the shape of a gun

Size: 8 1/4" long

Auction Date: September 2009

Auction Price: $80.*

06 of 25 Antique Whetstone Holder Whetstone Holder. Barb Crews Antique Whetstone Holder Size: 12"

Selling Price: $52. A handcarved Whetstone holder. This might be used as a farmer works the fields. The "barrel" portion would be filled with water to hold the stone, the hook would hang on his belt and when he stopped to use the whetstone, the pointed end would be put into the ground to hold it upright.

07 of 25 The New Era Rope Machine Rope Maker. Simmons and Company Auctioneers The New Era Rope Machine manufactured by A.D. Long of Fairfield, IA. Patented July 18, 1911

Selling Price: $150.

08 of 25 Steel Shuffle Board Puck Steel Shuffle Board Puck. Simmons and Company Auctioneers Steel Shuffle Board Puck Material: Steel

Selling Price: $310.

Auction Date: Sold in 2008 Note: the string is holding the auction lot number and is not part of the actual piece.

09 of 25 Campbell-Stokes Sunshine Recorder Sunshine Recorder. Courtesy of The Gemmary This was part of the Mystery Antique of the Week series. Used by British Meteorological Office to record the duration of sunshine as the sun moves across the sky. Size: 4" Sphere/9" slate base

Circa: 2nd Quarter, 20th Century

Price: $1950. From The Gemmary

An English piece engraved on the top of the black slate base "NEGRETTI & ZAMBRA, LONDON." This Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder consists of a 4" diameter glass sphere mounted concentrically in a section of a spherical bowl, the diameter of which is such that the sun's rays are focused sharply on a card held in grooves cut into the bowl. There are three overlapping pairs of grooves, each to take cards suitable in shape for different seasons of the year. Thanks go to The Gemmary, a fascinating website dedicated to serving the serious scientific instrument collector.

10 of 25 Gravesande's Ring and Ball Demonstration Apparatus Ring and Ball Demonstration Apparatus. Courtesy of Gemmary.com This was part of the Mystery Antique of the Week series. Marks: W. Ladd London

Circa: Early 20th Century

Size: Ball- 1 15/16"

Selling Price: $375. Thanks go to The Gemmary, a fascinating website dedicated to serving the serious scientific instrument collector.

11 of 25 Ceramic Pig Toy Ceramic Pig. Barb Crews This was part of the Mystery Antique of the Week series. Ceramic pig was given out by a pig association many years ago. It's a bit sadistic, it was made to put flies in the pig and the flies would cause the ears and tail to wiggle. Marks: None

Size: 2"

Selling Price: $40. (with explanation box -$150.)

12 of 25 A Qalandan Qalandan. Denise Stanco This was part of the Mystery Antique of the Week series. This is a brass item, about 8 inches in length, 1 inch wide and .5 inches thick. It is hollow and has a lid. It has a squarish box-shaped thing attached to one end. There are emblems in one side of the 'box' that appear to be a small fish (?) and 2 of what may possibly be sheaves of wheat Selling price: $175. From Denise Stanco:It’s a Qalandan! An antique travel brass inkwell used in the late 19th century through early 20th century, these have dated back to the 15th century. It has a compartment to hold quills and has an attached inkwell (powdered ink).

13 of 25 Candle and Lamp Shade Holder Barb Crews This was part of the Mystery Antique of the Week series. This unusual piece fits into a candleholder, a candle is then inserted in to the top of the spring loaded base. A metal lamp shade sits on top to complete the look and piece. Size: 10.5" Selling price: $10.

14 of 25 Hydrostatical Glass Bubbles Hydrostatical Glass Bubbles. Courtesy of The Gemmary The set on the left (B) was part of the Mystery Antique of the Week series. Label reads: Hydrostatical Glass Bubbles by JAs Corte

"Used by to prove Spirits" Made in England

Size: 2 7/8 x 1 3/16 Mahogany case

Circa: Early 19th Century

Price: $750. Thanks go to The Gemmary, a fascinating website dedicated to serving the serious scientific instrument collector.

15 of 25 Visage Oil Viscosity Tool Barb Crews This is was part of the Mystery Antique of the Weekseries for January 26, 2011. From the Louis C. Eitzen Company:

Quickly and conveniently, the VISGAGE checks oil viscosity on-site; without thermometers or stop watches. The VISGAGE can be used to check any oil from a light spindle oil to heavy gear oils.

16 of 25 Sterling Ink Eraser Barb Crews This is was part of the Mystery Antique of the Weekseries for February 9, 2011. Sterling Handled Eraser

Size: 5" An "eraser" that would gently scrape off the layer of ink on paper. The piece has a sharpened edge for that purpose.

17 of 25 Antique Pen Quill Cutter Courtesy of The Gemmary This is was part of the Mystery Antique of the Weekseries for March 2, 2011. Ebony Handled Quill Cutter

Values: $250. Before metal pen nibs, there were goose quills, which had to be cut to shape. As Alan, one of the correct guesser in the Mystery Items quiz so aptly put it. "To write with a goose quill, the penman needed to first cut the quill’s tip into a particular shape and then cut a further slot up that point. To accomplish this, it was common practice to carry a small pocket knife at all times… Hence the term “Pen Knife” that has come down to us till this day. But by the early 19th century there were people manufacturing special purpose-designed tools which allowed the user to insert a quill tip into them, and then "automatically" cut the quill tip to optimal writing shape."

18 of 25 Antique Billiard Table Iron Simmons & Company Auctioneers, Inc. This is was part of the Mystery Antique of the Weekseries for March 16, 2011. Billiard Table Iron

Circa: mid 1800s

Size: 11 3/8"

Marks: Manchester Orme & Sons ltd

Auction Price: $410.

19 of 25 Antique Pearson Nailer Barb Crews This is was part of the Mystery Antique of the Weekseries for March 23, 2011. An early manual nail gun, with two two patent dates on the piece, 1892 and 1908. The nails slid down the slot and are then held up to be hammered. Pearson Nailer

Patented: 1908

Size: 13"

Marks: Pearson

Selling Price: $45.

20 of 25 New Era Pencil Sharpener Courtesy of Patented Antiques This is was part of the Mystery Antique of the Week series for April 27, 2011. New Era Pencil Sharpener

Circa: 1913 - 1915

Values: $195. An unusual looking antique pencil sharpener. Even looking at it, it's hard to figure out how it might work. And apparently that's the problem, it didn't work very well. From Patented Antiques:

They were produced during the hey-day right after the turn of the century and sold for a $1.00 according to ads. To operate you put the pencil in the front and pushed down on the plunger ----- repeatedly. The pencil would rotate and a round blade inside would shave and sharpen the pencil. It was not only supposed to sharpen the pencil, it was also set up to sharpen the blade with a small stone inside.

21 of 25 Buch's Corn Sheller Buch's Corn Sheller with Metal Wheel. Morphy Auctions This antique was featured as a Mystery Antique of the Week on May 11, 2011. Corn sheller with a hand crank with stenciled wood stand. Size: 44 - 1/2"

Marked: "Pennsylvania 3"

Sold Date: April 2011

Condition: Excellent

Auction Price: $265.50

22 of 25 Wagon Wheel Spokeshave Spokeshave. Barb Crews This antique was featured as a Mystery Antique of the Week on June 29, 2011. Wagon Wheel Spokeshave which is used to shape wooden round parts, e.g. the spokes of the wagon, chair parts such as spindles or rungs. Condition: Very good

Values: $40 - $50

23 of 25 Door Lock Mortiser Barb Crews This antique was featured as a Mystery Antique of the Week in October 2011. This is an antique Door Lock Mortiser, used to make the opening in a door for a lock. The collector advises that these are hard-to-find and typically sought after by tool collectors. Condition: Good

Size: 26" high

Selling Price: $125.

24 of 25 Stanley 66 Marking Gauge Barb Crews This antique was featured as a Mystery Antique of the Week in March 2012. This is an antique Stanley 66 Marking Gauge made of rosewood. Circa: 1857 - 1897

Condition: Very good

Size: 8" approx/li>

Selling Price: $75.