What is it?

This morning we visited Nuffield Place, the home of the late William Morris (aka Lord Nuffield), which is currently leased by the National Trust. Everything in the house is to be kept as it was, which made it particularly interesting - and as it's not a very big house one can only go in as part of a guided tour. Our guide was excellent - very knowledgeable and good at putting his knowledge across.

Lord Nuffield was obviously a brilliant chap who made a fortune (at one point he was 7th wealthiest man in the world) but lived very modestly and he (and his estate) have over the years donated at least £30 million to good causes. He was the originator of the Morris car brand (and he acquired its "siblings" including Riley, Wolseley and, of course MG - from "Morris Garages") and was also interested in medicine - hence Nuffield Hospitals. Having been the victim of some pretty horrific dentistry he endowed the first UK Chair in Anaesthesia (at Oxford University) - against some opposition by some of the dons who thought "anyone can give an anaesthetic!). He was apparently an insomniac so had to sleep in a separate bedroom from his wife as he often worked with his tools in a corner of his bedroom in the middle of the night!

The extra shows his wife's Wolseley car, kept in the garage at the house: his own identical car is at Gaydon Motor Museum.

Now for the main blip - can you work out what it is? It was on a table in the lounge.