Green Glass Ear Trumpet

Here are some clues that indicate this beautiful green glass "ear trumpet" is not a genuine ear trumpet.

1. Notice the supposed ear piece. Although the end is chipped, you can see that the supposed earpiece is flared out—much too big to go into a person's ear canal. In reality, it is similar to a bugle mouthpiece.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
2. The "ear piece" is straight, just as in the previous blue "bugle". Genuine ear trumpets have curved ear pieces so the end can go into your ear canal and yet the bell of the trumpet still faces forward. You could not do that with this "ear trumpet". This "ear trumpet" would be sticking straight out from your head.
   
   
    
3. Don't be fooled by the fact that you can hear through it—that "Hearing is easy. Sound is pleasant and crystal-clear." Many devices that are not hearing aids do "work" to some degree (especially if you have normal hearing), but that does not make them hearing aids. For example, if you hold the mouthpiece of many of the brass musical instruments to your ear, you should hear quite well (assuming the valves aren't blocking the sound), but that does not make them genuine hearing aids. They are still musical instruments. It is the same with this glass bugle. Calling it a hearing aid doesn't make it so.
    
4. Glass hearing aids are extremely rare, if they even exist. Thus the chances of you ever coming across one are next to nothing. Elizabeth Bennion, in her book "Antique Hearing Devices" shows a picture of one such glass ear trumpet. I'm not aware of any other documented glass ear trumpets. That's how rare they really are.
    

Conclusion: Like the blue "bugle", this green one is not a genuine ear trumpet at all, but is also likely a tiny decorative bugle. The purchaser got taken if he thought he was getting a real hearing aid.