Mark Thorson wrote:
> It appears to have a little valve in it.
> And why is it in such a fancy box?

That box is very typical of precision machine tool cases from the
early 1900s ie. Browne & Sharpe, L. S. Starrett, etc.

I don't think that thingie has anything to do with wine or any other
beverage... to me it appears to be some kind old medical instrument,
some sort of gas valve, something an MD or DDS would use in
administering an anesthetic

http://tinyurl.com/3ajvw2

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-L-S-Starrett...QQcmdZViewItem