That is an intriguing item!
There’s a TV show called ‘Would I lie to you?’, and on that theme there could be some interesting ideas as to what this mushroom shaped copper item is… so could it be for catching earwigs much like putting an upside down plant pot full of straw at the top of a cane. Here though, a small pot of straw would be put in the device attracting the crawling insects – although with a small candle it could attract moths instead.
Or could it be attached to a paraffin heater to distribute heat downwards to warm a greenhouse bench for seedlings etc – preceding the later use of electrically heated cables.
Or could it be for fumigation as Charlie suggests?
What convincing ideas have other members got?
