The story is I went to a very obscure jeweler/restorer who appeared to specialises in unusual items and mostly antique items from what I saw. He looked at it and said well this is something a bit different and started playing with it. At first I thought he might break it as he was bending the "contraption" backwards. As he was examining it, he said "you know these type of things are played with over time". "Now I can't tell you exactly what it's for but it certainly holds things together well. And it would easily hold money very securely. It's a clip of some kind, probably a money clip". Now the interesting thing about this whole thread is that indeed putting all the pieces together you might have a story.... "A hobby silvermaker took a small project together to make his guitarist friend a clip for his music sheets or money" So that's its function.
What fooled me is the photos looked like the spring held the clip open and it had to be pushed closed. I can see it being a money clip now!
Well it was springing open until it was wound back up and put back into position. Because it was left in that position the spring was rather weak but wound up it really packs a punch!
Agree most likely a money clip however this was ruled out previously From the photos I think I now understand this clue But I don't understand this one ?
Great questions.... 1) Previously no one knew what it was and assumed that the mechanism was to spring apart. This is as it was received. However the "position" was incorrect. Somehow over time something happened to it and become "unwound"... hence 2) The "arms" had to be moved "backwards" in order to enough force to be generated that it would spring back together "forwards" to perform its function as a clip of some description. "money clip" does seem the most likely. So it did need some tinkering and repositioning to get it work again.
