Really Odd piece of kit 1887 "Flag Holder"

[Gspragge]

Well that's how it was described. I didn't realize that it was military issue at first as it had some rust etc.
It would work if a (signalling) flag was attached at the far end it would be kept taught by the ratchet
near the handle. It just seems rather over engineered for holding a flag ?
Any thoughts, anyone ever seen anything like it before ?

 

[Gspragge]

Two more images ~

 

[Gspragge]

I now know what it is ;
Called a "Turns Bow' it is for operating a hand turned lathe ~
Like this crude example, but the identical function. Watchmaking or military fine work I expect.
So it's a shop tool that one might find in an ordnance shop ~