āWhat on Earth Is This?ā ā The Curious Glass Objects Found in My Grandmotherās Cupboard
When I opened my grandmotherās old crockery cupboard, I expected the usual things: mismatched teacups, chipped saucers, maybe a forgotten gravy boat from another era. What I did not expect was a small bundle of strange, colorful objects tucked carefully in the back.
At first glance, they looked like plastic barsāmaybe cocktail accessories, decorative swizzle sticks, or parts of an old Christmas ornament. But the moment I picked one up, I knew that wasnāt right.
They were glass.
Light. Fragile. Carefully made.
Each one had thin, elegant ridges running along its length, translucent hues of green, amber, orange, and yellow catching the light. And then there was that odd detail: a small rounded ābumpā or nub along the side, placed deliberately, as if it served a purpose.
I turned one over in my hand, completely puzzled.
What were these things?
The First Clues: Material and Design
A closer look revealed a few important details:
They were hand-blown glass, not molded plastic
All were nearly identical in shape and size
The colors varied, but the design was consistent
They showed signs of age, but no damageāsuggesting they were stored carefully
This wasnāt junk. These objects were tools.
