Anyone knows what this was used for?

That is a ballot box for voting on a new member, perhaps Free Masons. The black balls, well…...

Mrjinx, there must be a good story behind why your wife was in someone else's trash??

It's amazing what people will throw away. I have no idea what it is, but it is definitely not an item of trash to be disposed of like week old food. Even if I didn't want it, I would at least find someone who did. In this throw away society, we see so much going to waste.

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It s amazing what people will throw away.

- MrRon

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This morning I saw an old Delta/Rockwell contractor saw in the metal scrap bin near where I live, nothing much could go wrong with those old Deltas, I would have given it away free instead of adding to our landfill.

It is a ballot box. If a new to be member is allowed to join, you put in a white marble. If you know something about the person that is not up to standards, than you put in a black ball. When the box is opened and there are no black balls, he is allowed to join, If there is 1 or more black balls he is not allowed to join.

We used those to vote on members in an Elks lodge.

I am a "Dumpster Diver myself"
Interesting !
I guess that is how the expression "Being black balled" came about.