Glass and Mercury Antique Hydrometer in Original Wooden Box cracker presumed early 20th century

presumed early 20th century

Toko (or whoever she is) in her yellow flower-patterned dress

a dog (I believe it is a dog

collecting loose change

Glass and Mercury Antique Hydrometer in Original Wooden Box cracker presumed early 20th centuryAt first I thought this antique Griebel Instrument Co. hydrometer was an old thermometer, until I noted that the numbers on the side run 0 to 6 rather than showing temperatures. Ive since learned that a hydrometer is used for measuring the relative density of liquids based on buoyancy: you pour liquid into a container, lower the hydrometer into it until it floats, and then the point at which the surface of the liquid touches the stem of the hydrometer