This happened exactly six years ago. Never found out what it was, but it's a handy little kitchen knife: I looked up at the skylight in my study which is at the end of the garden just now and saw this... Knife-throwing competition ? Dropped by a magpie? Threat? A sign?

Portrait of Fani the painter sitting with one knee bent up for steadying the page, dipping the brush or pen in a small ceramic bottle and wearing pince-nez spectacles. Safavid dynasty Isfahan, c. 1590-1610 (British Museum)