Picked this up today at the flea market for $1. Guy who sold it to me didnt know what it was and i bought it because it was #1 cool lookin as heck #2-united motors service tagged and #3-seemingly old. Havent looked it up yet, but figured i could get some help on it quick on here. Seems to reason it was a tester of some sort!

No clue but I agree with it being cool and you definitely stole it!

Its a compar-o-meter!
http://forums.aaca.org/f170/head-light-candle-power-tester-274502.html

Not sure if this is the correct answer but.... This answer is from: http://www.roaring-twenties.com/car_questions_at_roaring_twenties_antiques223.htm

"Do you folks know anything about a Hickock Meter? It was made by United Service Corporation (has diagram of old time car with top down in it's logo. It (the instrument) is called,"COMPAR-O-METER/HICKOCK ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENT COMPANY,CLEVELAND,OHIO. The instrument has graduations on it from 100,300,500,700,900,1000... as near as we can guess it is for adjusting candle power setting for old time auto head lamps.

Many early cars had magneto head lights, like Ford's 1915 Model "T". You could max the highest RPM and blow the bulbs. The 1928 Model "A" had problems also. A number of companies made a device like this that could control electrical output and this made things work better."

Also I hate looking at upside down images...So I rotated the photo

Kool old piece!! Nice buy!

Thanks for the info!!!! I don't just like it now, I love it!!! Thanks for the help and sorry about the pic being upside down

Don't bother about me... If I don't have something to complain about... I feel as if it is a wasted day.... LOL

You have an excellent bit of history there and an item that most United Service Collectors will want... As well as those like me who like/collect vintage Auto Garage/Gas Station tools....

Lol. Now I know you are harmless. What year do you think this is from? 20's? I think I will keep it for a while since I have only had it for 3 hours!!! Lol. What kind of value on this thing do you think? $30-50?

I imagine late teens to early 30s....

As to value, I really don't have the experience with such items to answer intelligently... I haven't had much dealings with vehicles before the Model A...

A Collector of early cars... "T's" Stutz, Buick Runabout, etc... would have a much better idea of true value....

I can imagine that quite a few Collectors, would want to own such an item.....

...nice item, especially for $1...the style of artwork on the dial tells me it's from the 1930's, at the earliest...

Thanks for the replies. There were 20 guys looking at the table of stuff this thing was sitting on and not one person even picked this thing up as I was inching my way to one of the ends nearest it. Had no price, guy didn't know what it was and took my buck offer without hesitation. My lucky buy!

That's a neat addition to your display. What I like most about it is....it's condition.

Lamp tester for sure, nice find.

Sorry to say it's probably not going to tell how bright someone is, but can give you a good read on how much light is reflected off their bald head... by the color of the tool I'm gonna say it's post war, but I've been wrong before just ask my wife! BTW Hickok was a producer of fine quality test equipment, I have a few testers from the 30-40's for work on old radios. tt