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I recently moved into a new place in the alps and this thing was next to the fireplace. I am not sure that it has anything to do with fire though - there are some other random bits and pieces lying around such as giant clogs, old brass cauldrons and agricultural paraphernalia.
It's quite heavy (maybe 3 or 4 kg) and the tines are pointy but not sharpened. My best guess is something for separating grains from stalks of wheat.
I asked the landlady and she has no idea, but says it has been lying around for as long as she can remember. She guessed it could be a blueberry comb, but I don't think this can be right as it's far too heavy to carry around a mountainside and wouldn't be well suited to this job.
Any ideas?
Alpine Yeti Afro comb.
Its an old fashioned cheese grater.
Thrunge comb.
I can't believe you've never seen a frundledunt before.
Something to do with making wool from a sheep's coat?
I'm not sure if sheep are a popular Alpine farming creature though.....
Swiss merkin brush.
It's a singletrack magazine ..popular with folks who ride mountain bikes ..as for the big wooden lump ..no idea ..
It's not old, it's a hipster caligraphy dipping pen using artisan yellow ink from ocelots with pancreatitis
If you have to ask, well then, you're just not worthy of it.
Carding comb, I'd have guessed?
Hipster beard brush
1970's pron star pubic lice comb
Primitive plumbus I guess. Check if it has fleeb.
At that weight I'd suggest that it is too heavy to be a hand tool. Is the 'handle' meant to fit into a socket of some kind, in the (missing) remainder of the device?
You've answered your own question. It's an agricultural paraphernalium.
Send the photo to the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Musée des Traditions Populaires de Moûtiers. </span>
It's stuffed full of Alpine farming implements.
Carding comb, I’d have guessed?
Yeah, a fleece comb would be my guess. It's to drag out wool fibres prior to spinning. There will have been a partner to it at some point, I'm guessing fixed to a bench or part of a machine.
Carding and combing are similar but different processes.
You also mention giant clogs.
Therefore that is cleary a giants comb. Maybe a previous tenant was a larger than life character?
Thanks all, I think I know what it is now.
I think Ambrose is correct that the wood end would locate into a socket. Probably on a bench of some kind.
Globalti's link to http://www.musee-moutiers.fr/ was handy, and has led me to conclude that it was a comb (as a few others have suggested) but for hemp or flax rather than wool.
According to the Moûtiers musem it was common to cultivate weed in the alps back in the day. The fibres were used for making ropes, clothing and sheets.
Chuck it in the cut and see if it floats
I think Ambrose is correct that the wood end would locate into a socket.
But that's clearly made to fit into a US rather than European type socket, so not sure?