The artifact was… a portable bar.The artifact was… a portable bar.Did you stop by and visit us while at the Lycoming County Fair?

Well, at least one hundred eighty six people did! They all took a guess at what the mystery artifact was… and several got it right! The artifact was… a portable bar.

The winner of our $20 Gift Certificate was Diana Beishline of Bloomsburg!

As seen in the photographs, when the lid is lifted a small decanter and shot glasses are revealed. We would have also accepted the answer that it might have been used to serve communion wine by a minister to a shut-in parishioner. Other examples of this portable bar include religious symbols decorating the lid.

We also commend the following with their right answers: Traci Pawling, Glenn Thomas

Other fun guesses included:

  • Spice container (possibly from western china/India/middle east
  • Lantern
  • Ash urn
  • A small serving dish
  • Kerosene candle lamp
  • Candle
  • Salt reservoir
  • Salt / spice holder
  • For spices
  • Pumpkins
  • Urn
  • Chinese urn
  • A glass urn
  • Female royalty urn
  • A Powder holder and perff
  • Jewelry case
  • Rich man’s shaving canister
  • Women’s face powder holder
  • Powder puff
  • Wax perfume holder
  • Music box
  • Lamp
  • Tobacco jar
  • Lamp using oil or candles
  • Candy dish
  • Jelly Bean holder
  • Queen Elizabeth’s candy jar
  • Beauticia – dish to hold Bobby pins or something similar
  • A boudware (boudoir?) vase for hair piece set
  • A hair jar
  • A container for hair after you brush your hair
  • Ash tray
  • Holy water container
  • Coffee keeper – either beans or ground
  • Incense burner
  • Inkwell
  • Bottle cap
  • Used as a guiding lamp to light the way to UGRR safe house
  • Mini bar
  • A potpourri pot
  • Bon Bon jar
  • Spittoon
  • A woman’s spittoon
  • Make-up and mirror
  • Baseball holder
  • A ball holder
  • Vase that holds dirt or something very important
  • Dry tea container
  • Tea holder
  • Secret keep
  • Jeanie bottle
  • Holds bubble bath
  • Cookie jar
  • A humidor
  • Candle holder
  • Poetry
  • Trinket box
  • Candy bottle railroad
  • Flower vase
  • Flower pot
  • Where you put candle ashes
  • A pot
  • For snuff
  • Money bank
  • Limoge box
  • Medicine canister
  • Antique container
  • Compote dish
  • Cat blood holder
  • Apothary (apothecary?) jar
  • Collection plate
  • Vase
  • Old compact
  • Cigar holder
  • Jardiniere
  • Opium jar
  • Toothbrush holder
  • A piece they used for communion (bread)
  • Container for bees wax
  • A trophy
  • Momento mori jar holds momentos of dead loved ones