And the Artifact is...

On Friday, we asked you if you could identify this artifact. It's tough to stump our brilliant readers,

but this one was particularly confusing. We had several great guesses, but no one hit on the correct answer.

                                          

This mystery object is...a cigar holder! It would have been used in John Schneider's Saloon to display an array of cigars to patrons. Perhaps John would have kept it in the back room, where preferred patrons, guests, and community leaders would have gathered to discuss neighborhood politics and issues.