“Found in a thrift store: a porcelain plate with a metal bottom. On its side, there is a pipe. What could this be?”
Answer: “It’s a plate warmer for toddlers. Through the pipe, you add hot water, close it up, and it keeps the food warm while the kid eats. As a bonus, the image depicting the characters is put there so as the kid gets closer to finishing the meal, the image is revealed.”
Now it seems its just stuff with lots of guessing.