Yarn holder

[rosemary cortez]

How does this work??

[magiccrochetfan]

those don't really look like yarn holders to me.  Paper towel holders maybe, that somebody decided to wrap some yarn onto?  i assume the rooster finials screw off, but the yarn being wrapped so high that it goes onto the rooster looks like a problem to me.  

[rosemary cortez]

Maybe you're not able to see it but I don't believe it's a towel holder due to the fact that it has a small razor blade in between the body and the tale of the rooster there's a blade to cut the yarn. I'm not sure but it looks like she got a ball of yarn wrapped around that towel container put it on the rooster and then start to unthread it and it start getting tangled but it's definitely not a towel holder due to the fact that it has that little blade I'll try to take a picture of it thank you if you can give me more insight on it I'd appreciate it

[redrosesdz]

I think your best bet is to take it to a local expert, instead of us guessing from pictures. It looks antique and may have been made locally.

You could try a local yarn store  (not walmart, Michael's, etc.), an antique dealer or auction house, or your local senior center.

[Granny Square]

Are you positive it's for yarn?  I'll betcha it's for an industrial-size ball of twine.  Doesn't make sense for a yarn holder to need a razor blade.  Back in the olden days before grocery bags, some 'store stuff' was often wrapped in paper and tied with twine.

Edit, google "general store twine holder" and all sorts of fanciful stuff comes up.  My favorite was this cat, notice the blade in it's head

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Cat-Cast-Iron-String-Twine-Holder-Cutter-Good-for-Halloween-Collectible-/112524199481?hash=item1a32f70639

[papersmiles]

I agree with Granny Square.  This sort of looks like an old fashioned "string" holder that country stores used to use.  The string was for wrapping packages in brown paper before the advent of the plastic bags or even paper grocery sacks.   Pretty neat, at any rate.  Thanks for sharing.