# So What Is It?



## Robby Raccoon (Sep 3, 2015)

You all recall this post, right? Scrolling down, you see that my question wasn't answered-- although I'm not sure who would know with certainty. But.... what is it? Everything popping out is pre-Prohibition, but maybe this is a newer outlier that somehow got stuck in the dirt floor of the abandoned building? You can see that I took it apart somewhat to try and figure it out, but it wasn't helpful other than to tell me that it has to do with electricity but isn't my first guess. Now I have to deal with college, so I'm not able to work on solving this. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





^ When it was as intact as I had found it. ^The paper is coated in something that is now coated in acid and rust, so that's why it survived. I have found a few pieces of paper on the surface, but nothing more than several decades back. This was in the ground-- where everything is pre-Prohibition. Again: I'm thinking it's newer than that. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Slices open.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







It displays both semi-modern and somewhat old characteristics. Some sort of transistor on there?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










The red is not a rubber coating as far as I can tell.In the back, where you cannot see, is a tongue of metal that curves inward. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




^ "UL / MADE IN U S A" ^ What is it for, what does it do, when is it from?


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## andy volkerts (Sep 3, 2015)

I would say that it is some type of early battery, similar to a flashlite battery......Andy


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 3, 2015)

Thanks, Andy. My original thought was battery, though. LOL.I've moved away from that but do believe that it attached to something to control power.


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## andy volkerts (Sep 3, 2015)

Possibly a Capacitor, they were used on early motors as a starting device to help a motor come up to speed originally, but are also used for other things now.......Andy


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 3, 2015)

How big were those?


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## andy volkerts (Sep 3, 2015)

anywhere from 2inches long and about an 1 1/4 in diameter, up to 8 inches and three in diameter, for the toilet paper roll tube shapes, then there are the other shapes, but I think all the older were tube shaped......Andy


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 3, 2015)

I looked into it based on a few people's suggestions (yours being the only one on here.)It might have the chance of being for an early radio. I have emailed someone about it now that there's a little more to go on.  Thanks again, Andy.


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## cowseatmaize (Sep 4, 2015)

Did anyone guess fluorescent lamp starter? That's my guess.


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 4, 2015)

This is very close, Eric.


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## bottlerocket (Sep 4, 2015)

That is a  fluorescent lamp starter.I used to change them all the time 40 years ago when they were popular.


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## RED Matthews (Sep 4, 2015)

If my brother Harry stops here, I will ask him. h is  really into thatstuff. RED M.


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## Robby Raccoon (Sep 4, 2015)

I'm glad to know what it is finally. Thanks, Bottle Rocket.   Thanks, Red. But it looks like we have discovered what it is.  Today from the same building I dug one tooled slick about an inch and a half below the surface, 4 pipes, part of a porcelain doll, many shards, and the base to a Gravitating Stopper-- the Gravitating Stopper was on the surface.  I also brought out a number of bricks.


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