Did you ever find out how they were used? 
I'm a great fan of The Repair Shop on t.v. watching them use their fantastic skills, and just as interesting, the strange odd looking tools that they use.

Well found Anne!

I Couldn't resist buying this 9 piece trinket set made by Myott Son & Co.  Its missing its original tray unfortunately as I'm sure it would have had one.  The mark dates it from 1907 to 1920 as far as I can tell.  The set consists of a pair of candle holders, one large lidded powder bowl and two smaller ones, a small trinket tray, ring holder and what looks like a pot pourri lidded bowl and either a hat pin holder or something used as a talcum powder shaker(?).

Its marked "Imperial Semi Porcelain" on the base, but I'm not sure if the "Imperial" refers to the pattern or to the semi-porcelain.  In any case, I've not been able to as yet identify the pattern name.  There is a Myott website but there is a fee for joining, so I'll persevere for a while longer to see if I can track it down.   

I wasn't familiar with the term semi-porcelain, but it appears that this resembles or imitates porcelain and is a relatively hard glazed white earthenware commonly used for tableware.  It does have a nice blueish tinge to it in the way that real porcelain does.  Apparently semi-porcelain was first used in 1880.

I think I've tracked it down .  I came across similar looking vintage basketweave bowls (slightly varying in shape or with added flowers), mostly for sale in the USA which were described as 'The Walter Hatches' or printed as such on the pieces.  It appears that this refers to Walter Hatches Inc. who were importers of majolica/porcelain accessories from Italy, and that these bowls were handmade exclusively for this company, but the actual pottery in Italy remains unknown to me.
 
After a  little bit more googling I came across an article in the "Bronxville Review Press and Reporter dated 1st August 1968, p.9." reporting on the death of a Mrs. Helen Walter Hatch in Bronxville who helped form "Walter Hatches" importers of decorative accessories from Italy.  It goes on to state that the Italian Government was so pleased with her creations that they awarded her an honorary degree for advanced marketing relations between the U.S.A. and Italy.   I've been unable to find anything more recent about the company.

I've just bought this strange looking basket weave bowl.  It appears to be intricately made, the four pasta shape legs/corners are made in a two part mould.  No makers mark but it does have the numbers 374 or 874 along with a number 2 underneath impressed on the base.   I've looked in all my books and online but can't find anything like it, although for some reason it looks familiar?  I'm guessing it is old as it has crazing underneath the glaze on the base, and possibly Victorian?  I know they liked natural forms, and it doesn't look out of place next to my Sowerby glass basket weave dish.

Any ideas as to where it could have come from/maker/age please?