20 Mysterious Objects That Have a Totally Different Explanation Than What We Imagined

Some people like to snoop around vintage stores, and others are lucky enough to find unique objects sitting in their basement. But they tend to have one thing in common: they find peculiar things with no clue as to what they’re used for at first glance. Luckily for them, the Internet is filled with all kinds of gurus that are eager to solve their mystery.

We at Bright Side love unique finds and learning new facts, and we want to share what we discovered with you. Get ready to be impressed.

1. “Found this tube ’shell’ on a beach. Any idea what it is?”

• “It’s stingray teeth.” adube1320 / reddit
• “WHAT! Most unexpected answer I’ve seen in a while!” k_mon2244 / reddit

2. “Found this as a part of a silverware set. Thoughts for its purpose?”

• “Apparently, you literally use it to poke pieces of butter to pick them up. Especially butter curls, so you can slide it into them. The corkscrew isn’t really used as one.” Flopsy22 / reddit

3. “A full tub with a deep front half... What is it?”

• “It’s a hip bath. A small bath with a seat built into it, designed for sitting rather than lying in.” bobi2393 / reddit

4. “Found these soft metal objects while metal detecting under a pier at low tide.”

• “They’re Hindu offerings. The symbol on the top left is ’Om.’” sumpuran / reddit

5. “Variable stop sign in Illinois”

• “These are blinders, typically used so the sign can be read from a narrow angle. They’re also called directional shields. You’ll see them on traffic lights a lot more often.” I_Me_Mine / reddit
  

6. “Feels metal-ish, found it in the Colorado foothills.”

• “Looks like an iron nodule. A natural concentration of iron.” jolly2284 / reddit
  

7. “Described in an online estate auction as a ’toaster?’”

• “It’s a salt and pepper shaker bakelite from the 1940s.” BrazakAttack / reddit

8. “Posts with nets on top on the side of the street in the Netherlands”

• “These are to help bats orientate themselves until the trees are larger. Bats need to hear the reflection of their sound to know where they’re going. These things will replace the leaves in that.” Maryolein / reddit

9. “This object is hanging from the ceiling of our waiting room at the hospital. Anyone knows what this is for?”

• “It’s a signal booster.” dcolmena / reddit

10. ’’Found on a hike up a hill — the eye doesn’t appear natural, but I’m not sure what caused it."

• “Likely a mineral deposition within the rock that has dissolved over a long period of time.” juanabeewolf / reddit

11. “Found in a house along with lots of old maritime artifacts. What is it called, and how was it used?”

• “It’s a ship’s log for measuring distance traveled, thus determining speed.” iammikeyjay / reddit

12. “Found this 7 feet under the basement. What is this?”

• “It’s a traditional Chinese soy sauce jug. The little spout is a giveaway.” raineykatz / reddit

13. “What is this giant tower? It can’t be much wider than a staircase. It’s connected to a fire station.”

• “It’s a place where hoses are hung after use so the water doesn’t eat through the hose lines.” Ban***jack / reddit

14. “Blue nets tied between the trees, found while hiking.”

• “Pretty sure these are nets for catching the fruit from the tree — currently rolled up because there’s no fruit.” darcling / reddit
  

15. “A short table/desk with an opening at the front, a fence at the back, and storage on both sides”

• “It’s a coffee table. The rail is meant to keep things from sliding off the far edge of it when you are sitting on the sofa.” codece / reddit

16. “What’s this strange glass dish? 2 pieces, a lid, and a base...”

• “The bottom is a chicken roaster, and the top is a ’universal pyramid lid’ for pots or pans. They stack easily together, and are both glasses from the same company, so they seem as if they must be used together, but they’re not.” jupitaur9 / reddit
  

17. “A mail truck with an opaque, segmented roof — why is the top like that?”

• “So you can see what you’re doing when you’re inside the back. Cheaper than installing lights.” BmanUltima / reddit

18. “Metal, plastic, and canvas-looking fabric clips — they are a few inches long and some say FLATEX.”

• “They’re stocking clips for women’s suspenders/garter belts that were commonly used in the 1960s. The belt or girdle clips around the waist and hips, and short lengths of elastic or strong fabric descend from the belt with these clips on the ends.” Peachi*** / reddit
  

19. “Purchased at a bazaar in Afghanistan. It’s hollow inside, and the ’cork’ top doesn’t seem to come out. It’s made of metal.”

• “Well, I can tell you it’s upside down, judging by the writing on the side. I’m guessing the screw-on ’top’ is actually to fit into a base of some sort, possibly a wall mounting. I can’t read all the text, but one word says ’چراخ’ which means ’oil lamp.’” Amilo159 / reddit

20. “What is this curved metal fixture above the hotel tub handle?”

• “It’s a waterfall bath filler.” ObnoxiousChap / reddit

Which one of the items above surprised you the most? Have you ever found anything unique?