What the heck is that ?

We are getting an english wheel and a planishing hammer, so we can do some custom metal work on the various projects that are in the works. The picture above is an example of what happens when there are to many body tools around a shop. I have had Bacher (yellow shirt) tell me several times how this "what ever it is" was constructed. But I keep forgetting the formula.

(it really isn't a Tucker pick-up, just in case he tries to0 pull that one on you.)