Yes, it's another round of that classic guessing game - Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Abstract [or any combination thereof]. This effort - '03/'04 should address any queries, but then again, may just serve to confuse and baffle which some might say is the point of the game. Patience, integrity and a decent search engine may be useful ....
Not sure why I keep guessing - I have no desire to be in the chair next time round. Guess I'm intrigued ... and if the solution turns out to be ridiculously obscure ... I can then 'do a Rosie' [sans swearage] :-D
Can't find any reference to these as either dance-specific or made of leather and wood (wikipedia refers to them in purely fashion terms and often/mostly made of plastic - which is what I would have guessed). Can someone point me at a helpful reference. Not annoyed, you understand, I just stopped guessing because I'd explored everything I could given the information available and I'd like to know how I could have got there. Oh, and:
[INJ] Alas, I didn't check wikipedia before I chose the words on the card. My bad--I will remember to do so should I ever be handed the baton again. I relied on my memory of my first pair of go go boots: they where white patent leather and had a stacked wooden heel. I believe I answered the question about dancing shoes early on by saying the the item on the card could be characterized as a dancing shoe without saying it was a dancing shoe directly; I thought I was giving the best answer possible. Later when I realized that it was limiting everyone's thinking, I tried to draw attention to the fashion connection. I was surprised how few questions focused on the style of music connected with the dancing (particularly after some pretty direct hits and/or hints e.g. American-originated, distinguished by its beat, African American influence, etc.) or (until CdM) inquired whether the shoes were currently or historically popular. Anyway--while I am very glad you are not annoyed, INJ--still I am apologetic. This was a round of Painfully Difficult AVMA. Sorry.
[Raak] Salty bacon crisps? NO :) [irach] Edible? NO [Software] Wearable? NO [cfm] Primarily decorative as opposed to utilitarian? NO - mostly utilitarian [GL] Man made? In the main - YES.
[Raak] Made of leather, wood, and metal fixings? The wording of your question requires a NO answer, even though leather, wood and metal are all components of this. [Tuj] YES - still unique :) [irach] Furniture/home furnishing - NO, not alone [although your question prompts a murmur from the very sleepy audience] [GL] Wood? YES - wood is one of the vegetably bits of this [cfm] Fictional? NO
[Tuj] Entertainment? NO not really ... aw, maybe in some respects but - my reply really won't help. [cfm] Elements effecting/affecting each other? Oh YES - absolutely. [Raak] Moving parts? YES [GL] Bigger than a phone box? YES - massively so.
*is wondering if the word ABSTRACT should have been part of the opening clue*
[CdM] Located in Europe? NO *audience vociferous in their approval of a CdM question* [cfm] Leather only animal element? NO [INJ] LtUaE? Life and Most things might be found within this :) [irach] Lubrication? I expect so - but knowing this isn't particularly useful. [Raak] Factory? The answer on the card is NOT a factory, although factories are part of the answer [as are moving parts and lubrication] ;-)
[Raak] Extracting resources? Not really NO [Tuj] N America? NO *audience applauds this line of questioning* [GL] A country? NO ... but *audience sees no need to hold back ...* [cfm] Human? YES! *... claps, cheers and wild excitement accompany the reply to cfm's question*
[cfm] I think the phrase 're-examine your assumptions' has been used in this game when it's fairly clear that a player is not moving in the right direction. Apologies if, by inaccurate replies, I have misled you. Having said that - I owe you an answer:
[cfm] Many types of items are likely to be produced at the manufacturing facilities which are likely to be a part of the answer. :-)
So, bearing in mind that the item is unique and yet is only _likely_ to encompass a manufacturing facility/factory, does that mean that the composition of thing on the card changes over time? It evolves?
[Raak] A City? A City! YES - yes - it's a city *audience collectively faints with relief* [cfm] Sort of YES to everything you said - and now you know what you're looking for ... name that city :-)
[Raak] Not Pyongyang oop north because ... [CdM]... BUSAN it is! [my eldest has just returned from a wonderful year there teaching primary school age kids]
*hands the shiny clean and impeccably-mannered baton to CdM*
In UK? and Built before 1900? Here is where I need to remind you that I equivocated about defining this as abstract. Neither question really makes sense. (However, I can say that it has its origins in the UK before 1900.) I should also perhaps add that there are certainly connections to books and music. I wouldn't have found them helpful, but some here might, I suppose. This is the kind of thing where Wikipedia has a long list of references in popular culture/examples in modern society.
Type of building? Yes *applause* Museum? No (although there are some connections). Actual physical presence? *audience applause for the question* The answer is debatable. I'm going to go with a qualified Yes. Fictional? No (although there are certainly fictional connections). Specific person or people live there? No, not exactly. Depends what you mean by "specific", I suppose.
Are there several of these? Well, as my earlier answer to cfm suggests, it is debatable whether there is (or was) even one of these. But I will again answer with a qualified Yes.
Religious significance? No. Mythical? No. BC? No. Metaphorical? Interesting question. I think it's more concrete and not as obviously metaphorical as your example. As against that, the Wikipedia article on this does include a section entitled "The P__________ as Metaphor", so the answer is clearly Yes. (I was/am more aware of the literal meaning, but it is possible that others here are more aware of metaphorical senses; I don't know.)
Yes! Following on my pantechnicon when I was last in the chair, this was Jeremy Bentham's revolutionary prison design that allows a single guard to observe all the prisoners. (It's still not clear what the single guard does when he observes all the prisoners rioting, mind you.)
*hands Raak a baton that, rather curiously, can be seen on all sides at once from a single vantage point*