Unusual Old Carved Whimsy with Chain Links, Cage, Plug, and Expandable Part! sculptural candle These sorts of rigid paddle-shaped

These sorts of rigid paddle-shaped fans are called Uchiwa in Japanese

and there are also a fair number of unfilled holes

Nothing fussy about this hand-painted vintage sign

These are well worn

(And these would be really nice framed as a group

Unusual Old Carved Whimsy with Chain Links, Cage, Plug, and Expandable Part! sculptural candle These sorts of rigid paddle-shapedI recently learned it probably should have occurred to me before! that whimsies were often carved from old broom and tool handles, and I'd bet that was the case with this one. It is unlike any other I've seen, with a long cage at one end (with the "ball" more rectangular than spherical), then a series of chain links, then another cage type form with a plug as the "ball" such that one can actually extend it by pulling or contact it by pushing, and then