....at last here's what we think the answer is...
George a local builder (pictured below) popped into the Gallery a couple of weeks ago with the mystery object, he knows I'm always curious about things. He is renovating an old factory in Blackheath south east London with his firm Billingford Builders when the discovery was made. The building in question was some form of old photography factory. The mystery piece of timber complete with attached marbles was a simple way of hanging photographic prints to dry. Just slip the print between the marble and the wood and hey presto. Ingenious when you think about it...
