Tops That

The other day, still high from the many splendors of the Eco Fair, I came across a number of free things that were placed outside an old stamp store (which is moving to a new location).  Among this random lot were things that because of my unfamiliarity with certain aspects of domestic culture (cooking equipment of an earlier time), I could not discern what use they had.  I had initially thought of salvaging them, but they were not aesthetically pleasing (even in the wabi-sabi sort of way) and I did not want to destroy my rather minimal apartment with the beginnings of a hoard.

Although I did pick up this wooden block, which had nailed into it small items which resemble tops or some kind of child's game.  I believe that I have seen such things before, but I did not understand what the display was for.  Perhaps it was something that people saw in a shop, pointed to the one they liked best, and then the proprietor would then bring out one from a drawer.  I will get to the bottom of this soon enough, and I find it silly that I did not ask when the owner put them out on the street.