h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It looks like an oil lamp, but looks can be deceiving.

It actually is a communications device, but only half of it. Lacking mobile phones and not having invented tin cans at the time, two of these were paired by a string for easy communication across a silent room... The pictogram shows the status of the other user.

a small pulley and bucket arrangement also enabled text messaging across the line

I'm gobsmacked. That must be what it is.

Putting tension on the line and then quickly letting go will definitly smack the gob on the other end of the line...

You guys are getting on my wick! You'd need to be an oily riser not to see what this is? I have a reputation for being hard baked but let's not go off on half-baked theories about this. Is this a lamp I see before me? Can't tell. Someone blew it out.

Aw come'onit's obviously the first ashtray for stubbing cigs

You definitely don't want to take another pull after dipping your cigar in lamp oil... Unless you think eyebrows are so last century.

then again ? it could be a bidet for very small people