# What is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453 "2009-01-22T14:27:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/21 "2009-01-22T19:44:00Z")
It’s a MacGuffin, deliberately put there by Chuck Lorre to get people talking about the show on message boards. It seems to have worked. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/22 "2009-01-22T19:46:23Z")
I’ve sent an email to the show’s set decorator. If a get a response, I’ll let you know. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/23 "2009-01-22T20:18:19Z")
My first impression was of a very complex home-made thumb piano. [http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&ndsp=20&hl=en&q=thumb+piano&start=80&sa=N](http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&ndsp=20&hl=en&q=thumb+piano&start=80&sa=N) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/24 "2009-01-22T20:26:02Z")
It isn’t this is it? From the opening sequence: Westward Expansion American Civil War amputation Coal-powered train (presumably referencing First Transcontinental Railroad) “The Leader” building Gold rush \*\*Unidentified invention (possibly mechanical calculator) \*\* Man with stock ticker Moscow Kremlin Supporters of Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Tractor Electric lightbulb Tower Bridge ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/25 "2009-01-23T14:36:09Z")
**Garygnu** , please let us know, here or in Cafe Society, if you hear anything back from the set designer. **TruCelt** , I had just deleted the last episode from my TiVo, so will have to watch that sequence more closely next time. I’m out of the country next week, so that will be a week from Monday most likely. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/26 "2009-01-23T17:49:53Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Two university physicists with serious geek decorating sense. Wait a second. Isn’t that a bit oxymoronic? Do true geeks actually, y’know, _decorate?_ Because whenever I’ve been over to a hardcore geek’s place, the decor basically amounts to “a poster of Futurama”\* and “piles of shit we have accumulated and/or are working on.” Other than that, the only things attached to the walls are database schema, wiring diagrams, and maps and/or command-button guides to video games. \*Or perhaps Lt Cmdr Data, sometimes in cardboard standee form. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/27 "2009-01-23T17:53:23Z")
Probably true, but the Sheldon character is an OCD neat freak, so the place WILL be clean. Of course this is television, where struggling young New Yorkers live in spacious, low rent apartments, so there you go. If you haven’t seen the show, the cute girl across the hall has an apartment that is a nasty mess. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/28 "2009-01-26T18:25:06Z")
Results! Nothing specific yet, but: > [@](#): > > Hi [**garygnu**], > > That message board gave me a good laugh, thanks!! > > I shop at an aerospace salvage yard for cool parts of stuff to put on their walls as it doesn’t suit their characters to be too into art. There are parts of rockets in almost all of the sets that are in the home or office spaces of the main characters. Therefore, this was most likely a fuse panel in a rocket of some sort. > > I will send the photo to the owner of the shop. He is a genius and I am sure knows what it is. Will get back to you with more information very soon. > > Thanks so much for watching the background with so much interest and for the kind words. > > Sincerely, > [name redacted] > Set Decorator > Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men Then later, after I sent a thank-you response: > [@](#): > > It has Bussmann fuses on it so I am guessing that it is just a fuse board. I sent an email to that manufacturer and am waiting for a response. So it’s probably a Bussmann fuse panel, but what it goes to nobody knows yet. It could be something entirely mundane, or it could go in a rocket. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/29 "2009-01-26T18:47:21Z")
Awesome, thanks for the followup. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/30 "2009-01-26T19:13:20Z")
Man, is this board great or what?! 🆒 **Gary** - is there a reason you deleted the portion of the set decorator’s message about a cameo for the sharp-eyed fan who initially asked about this? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/31 "2009-01-26T19:40:14Z")
Not only a response, but you’re going to get a follow up. How cool is that? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/32 "2009-01-26T20:49:57Z")
Very cool, huh? (I’m feeling very 🆒 🆒 right now.) In case anybody is wondering, I’m 99.9% sure the salvage yard is [Norton Sales](http://www.nortonsalesinc.com/) in North Hollywood. [Here is a write up in the LA Times](http://articles.latimes.com/2007/mar/25/science/sci-junkyard25). I couldn’t think of a better source for _Big Bang Theory_ set pieces. The set decorator, along with the production designer, has been nominated for two Emmy Awards for _Two and a Half Men_. Let’s all cross our fingers for another nod for _BBT_. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/33 "2009-01-26T21:32:55Z")
**garygnu** , could you post a copy of your original email? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/34 "2009-01-26T21:40:00Z")
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Othertimes… it’s rocket science! ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/35 "2009-01-26T21:59:15Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > It > could be something entirely mundane… “That the beauty of it - it doesn’t DO anything!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/36 "2009-01-26T22:38:45Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > **garygnu** , could you post a copy of your original email? Sure thing: > [@](#): > > Dear [Set Decorator], > > A group of fans of The Big Bang Theory are trying to identify the item on the column in Leonard and Sheldon’s apartment. It looks like a cross between a large fuse panel and a piano keyboard. > I thought I’d go to the source and ask the set decorator. (As an aside, I would like to say I spend as much time looking at the stuff in the background as watching the show itself. Great job.) > > Sincerely, > [**garygnu**] > > The best picture of it we could find [is here](http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/big_bang_21.jpg). > Here is a link to the [message board thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10728436#post10728436). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/37 "2009-01-26T22:44:39Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > In case anybody is wondering, I’m 99.9% sure the salvage yard is [Norton Sales](http://www.nortonsalesinc.com/) in North Hollywood. [Here is a write up in the LA Times](http://articles.latimes.com/2007/mar/25/science/sci-junkyard25). I couldn’t think of a better source for _Big Bang Theory_ set pieces. Cool website, although it’s a little sad that stuff from the Apollo era is now in a junkyard. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/38 "2009-01-26T23:03:23Z")
Hey **garygnu** - are you on a first name basis with [set designer], or did you just pull her name from the credits reel or something? ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/39 "2009-01-27T18:04:02Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Othertimes… it’s rocket science! “Well, acording to that logic, I should answer all the anthropology questions because I’m a mammal.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453/40 "2009-01-27T20:03:43Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Hey **garygnu** - are you on a first name basis with [set designer], or did you just pull her name from the credits reel or something? I don’t know the person, no. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this/482453.md?page=3)