Mystery Objects Revealed

In a previous post I asked whether anyone knew what these things were used for?

Well it turns out that two very smart readers do know and they are Troy Ellen Dixon and Abigail Simon. Congratulations and let’s connect so I can coordinate the delivery of your prize!!!

Their correct answers were

My father used them to match removable storm windows and screens to each window.
Troy Ellen Dixon

These are window number tacks. Actually, they may be called something more interesting — those Victorians were crazy — but that is what they are for — you put one on the frame and one on the window and somehow that is supposed to fend off window confusion.
Abigail Simon

Yes, the number tacks are to help match window screens and storm windows to the windows they belong to, hence the duplicate numbers. In the old days windows would have been handmade and probably varied in size quite a bit. These tacks removed the guess work out of finding the matching screen or storm. We have forty plus windows in our house so trying to match a screen or storm to the correct window without these would involve a frustrating number of trips up and down the ladder.

If you have old sash windows then you may also have these numbers though it’s likely that they’ve been painted over. I did check our old windows but couldn’t see them so maybe this numbering system wasn’t that popular.

Individual sashes were also often numbered during manufacture to make sure they matched the correct window frame. For this numbering they would just stamp a number onto the sides of the sashes and frame as these parts of a window aren’t painted. You can see in the picture that they choice roman numerals to number the sashes, I’m guessing they did this so they could use a simple tool such as a chisel to make them.

I bought these vintage tacks from eBay, you can buy reproductions but why when you can recycle and often find them cheaper.

I’ll leave you with a poem which I just came across (thank you Wayne Plummer).

The Day We Argued About Roman Numerals

Even now in my mind,
that row remains VIVID.
I tried to stay CIVIL
but you ended up LIVID.
Brian Bilston

P.S. I have bought a few more tacks which include the missing No 20.