This first item is made of mixed metals and has slots on the top and connectors on the sides. Any idea what it was used for back in the day?
If you thought it was a coin collector, you’re absolutely right! Train and bus conductors used to drop the fares into the slots, and then they could retrieve the neatly stacked coins from the bottom. The hooks on the sides allowed them to attach it to their belts. Surprisingly, a modern version of this is still used in a few places where payment is not required upon entry. Pretty clever, right?
Item #2: The Sand-Filled Swim Cap
Here’s an interesting cap with a feminine printed design, lined in blue, and chin straps. Care to take a guess? And here’s a hint – it’s filled with sand!
This unusual cap is actually an early handmade swim cap. Back in the 1920s, people loved to model swim caps after the popular aviatrix style. But rubber materials were hard to come by for home sewers. So they came up with a creative solution – channels and stitching were machine-sewn, and the cap was filled with sand.