June 25, 2008: Picky Picky

[xoxoxoBruce]

You can pick your friends, and you can pick your ears, but you can't......

Neatorama points to these two combination earwax spoon/ toothpick, antiques.

Discovery News.

One Expensive Ear Pick
In this photo released by the Florida Keys News Bureau, a tiny solid gold combination toothpick and earwax scoop is displayed inside a clam shell. A diver recovered the artifact Sunday, May 18, about 40 miles west of Key West during a search for remains of the Spanish galleon Santa Margarita that shipwrecked in a 1622 hurricane. Estimated value of the pick could exceed $100,000

APVA

Sterling Silver Ear Picker Pin
A status symbol and hygienic tool, this ear picker/tooth cleaner was found at the James Fort site by APVA Preservation Virginia archaeologists. The 17th-century English knew about plaque, which they called scale or surf, and were encouraged by doctors to scrape their teeth frequently. They also knew that a buildup of earwax could cause deafness. As was the fashion for many of these tools, our ear picker is double-ended, combining the function of an ear scoop with that of a nail/tooth cleaner. Ear pickers were used by all levels of society in medieval and post-medieval England, but ours, being silver, probably belonged to a gentleman.

Bet you wish you had one for the gross out value.