Museum Artifact Id Needed

[shtoink]

I wish I was able to look this over in person. I just feel like I am not getting the full picture with it and what it's purpose was. It clearly looks like a specialized stitching pony, but what for?

Does that board along the side come out and what does that wedge shaped part actually do?

What might the part sticking out at an angle do?

I have been staring at this thing and racking my brain trying to figure it out. One of the ideas I have is If it might be used for opening up the boot for putting in the decorative stitching or maybe the for holding the boots of a prosthetic limb. The issue with those ideas is the lack of clearance for your hands between the arms.

You can clearly see there is greater wear on the tip of one arm and it appears that is the same arm that gets moved more. The other thing that keeps drawing my eye to it is that large groove up the frame between the arms. Was there some sort of shuttle that needed that groove for clearance? Was is possible it was used for making some type of woven rope or other tube shaped thing?

[DKinYORKpa]

Does that board along the side come out and what does that wedge shaped part actually do?

When I removed the wedge, that tenoned piece slid out the outside of the box. With a little wiggling, the long piece of wood came out and it seems that it's only purpose is to hold the adjustable "thumbscrew" that has a strip of leather tied to it. The other end of the strip of leather is tied to the movable arm. This allows the the distance that the moveable arm is pulled away from the fixed arm to be controlled. The long piece of wood had no oxidation on the back side. Being removable allows the strip of leather to be replaced, I guess.

The other thing that keeps drawing my eye to it is that large groove up the frame between the arms. Was there some sort of shuttle that needed that groove for clearance?

This is key to figuring this out!

[robertmeco]

Could it be for resew the sole of a pair of boots :dunno: