Can anyone identify this vintage wooden crank box?

by Snance

+246

Answered

The item is solid wood, standing aprx. 26" high x 16" wide, no exterior holes or outlets, side crank handle turns four wooden paddles inside with various size holes on the paddles. The bottom of the box is rounded. Item was given to me by a friend who collected antiques but they have no idea what this was. Would love to find out if anyone has any ideas or can identify? Thank you.

can anyone identify this vintage wooden crank box

217 answers

Tsomm3 on Oct 13, 2016
It is a butter churn. A very primitive one.

Helpful Reply
- See 1 previous
- Dbi8278524 on Oct 13, 2016
  I agree, a very old butter churn.
  
  Helpful
- Phil a on Oct 13, 2016
  I tend to agree. Here are some pics of old hand cranked butter churns. https://www.google.com/search?q=early%20woode... Phil
  
  Helpful
Net5230036 on Oct 13, 2016
I think it's an old butter churn

Helpful Reply
Ray6172861 on Oct 13, 2016
I think also a butter churn or for to make cheese ...

Helpful Reply
- Latefall on Oct 15, 2016
  I was thinking maybe cheese because of the holes, but had not seen one like that.
  
  Helpful
Rosa Young on Oct 13, 2016
Washing machine?

Helpful Reply

Lyn10709253 on Oct 13, 2016
I agree. Butter churn.

Helpful Reply
Barry Landmon on Oct 13, 2016
I think a large sized butter churn

Helpful Reply
Ans10803042 on Oct 13, 2016
I vote for the washer. That would be a lot of butter.

Helpful Reply
- See 1 previous
- Dinah Lookabill Geiger on Oct 13, 2016
  That is what I thought...pretty big for a churn. But there is no hole to let the water out if it's a washer. Hmmm
  
  Helpful
- Dawn Wells Clough on Sep 10, 2023
  
  It is definitely a butter churn, I have one almost exactly like it. You found them on larger dairy farms where they sold Milk and Butter for a living. Everyone in the family worked with the dairy products. It was very profitable back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
  
  1 marked as helpful
Har12230720 on Oct 13, 2016
Washer, churns were not made of wood. It would take a lot of cream to fill it

Helpful Reply
- See 2 previous
- Mts7827799 on Oct 13, 2016
  I disagree. I have one myself and mine is definitely a butter churn. Keep in mind that cream is heavy and with constant use, the wood would swell. Keep in mind that when these were used, they were used often.
  
  Helpful
- Sue Kiene on Oct 14, 2016
  I disagree also. I have one as well and it was worth over $500 back in the early 90's. Mine has a rounded bottom
  
  Helpful
- Latefall on Oct 15, 2016
  Google churns. Almost all made of wood except for the kind that were paddles inside of jars for smaller amounts.
  
  1 marked as helpful
Kathy Bellmon Robinson on Oct 13, 2016
It's a corn sheller or shucker

Helpful Reply

Clova Vaughan on Oct 13, 2016
butter churns are usually not wooden.... this appears to be an early clothes washer since the height of beaters will allow for water and cloth movement..my guess only

1 marked as helpful Reply
- See 1 previous
- Sue Kiene on Oct 14, 2016
  What do you think they were made of. Wood was the most common resource everywhere. I have a wooden butter churn. It has a rounded bottom and legs. It does have an outlet though.
  
  Helpful
- Mary Mosher on Oct 16, 2016
  Sorry to disagree, Clova, but nearly ALL churns were wooden - take a peek at churns on Google. I have a small round upright one, which is most definitely wooden too.
  
  Helpful
Gerry Sahlin on Oct 13, 2016
Do not know.

Helpful Reply
- Em on Aug 16, 2023
  
  Then why would you write that you don't know?????
  
  Helpful Flagged comment
Sal12161582 on Oct 13, 2016
Early butter churns were wooden

Helpful Reply
Bwf7968571 on Oct 13, 2016
I saw a display of many old style clothes washers in Covington, Vt and this looks like one I saw there.

Helpful Reply
Mts7827799 on Oct 13, 2016
Could either be a washing machine or a butter churn. I have a similar one and thru research, found out that mine is a butter churn but there were different designs. Having no outlet holes would leave me to believe that it is a churn, but my churn is not square and has a round bottom.

Helpful Reply
Bwf7968571 on Oct 13, 2016
OMG, I totally misspoke. I guess I am not awake yet. The display I saw in Covington, Vt at the HOLY COW was a room full of Butter Churns of all types, and there were churns that looked like this. Sorry

Helpful Reply
- Sue Kiene on Oct 14, 2016
  Get some more coffee. LOL Have a wonderful day!
  
  Helpful
Mellie Ange on Oct 13, 2016
Manual washing machine

Helpful Reply
Leah on Oct 13, 2016
Butter churn. The dome lid is missing.

Helpful Reply
Greg on Oct 13, 2016
definitely a butter churn without the lid

Helpful Reply
Porland1624 on Oct 13, 2016
Manual washing machine from the era of the 1920

Helpful Reply
Jka10139579 on Oct 13, 2016
Washing machine

Helpful Reply
Njlou on Oct 13, 2016
I would guess that is a farm size butter churn.

Helpful Reply
Karen Pullen on Oct 13, 2016
Butter churn.

Helpful Reply
Mary Lou Morin on Oct 13, 2016
Saw a similar looking thing several years ago ... it was used for processing cornmeal from dried cobs.

Helpful Reply
J. on Oct 13, 2016
Corn shucker

Helpful Reply
Sarah on Oct 13, 2016
butter churn. See link http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/371264933844-0-...

Helpful Reply
Sharon Novotni on Oct 13, 2016
don't think it's a corn chucker if you look on line those were very narrow...this box is not

Helpful Reply
Spankymcstupid on Oct 13, 2016
It's an old clothes washer

Helpful Reply
Chu10688527 on Oct 13, 2016
Early washing mackine?

Helpful Reply
Roberta Kantola on Oct 13, 2016
washingh machinw

Helpful Reply
Antk556 on Oct 13, 2016
pea sheller

Helpful Reply
Dianne Bullard Veach on Oct 13, 2016
Washing machine

Helpful Reply
Joyce Boshell on Oct 13, 2016
Butter churn?

Helpful Reply
Helen Sanderson on Oct 13, 2016
I believe it is an early butter churn

Helpful Reply
Eileen Blaney on Oct 13, 2016
butter churn

Helpful Reply
Suzanne Lee on Oct 13, 2016
Me too. Butter churn.

Helpful Reply
- Holyname Neal on Oct 13, 2016
  I agree.
  
  Helpful
Toe7478550 on Oct 13, 2016
Apple press

Helpful Reply
Leslie on Oct 13, 2016
Early washing machine.

Helpful Reply
Dwi5997718 on Oct 13, 2016
Butter churn. Or--- it knocks the kernels off dry corn

Helpful Reply
Raymond Le Forestier on Oct 13, 2016
Ancient washing machine

Helpful Reply
Art12853003 on Oct 13, 2016
I remember school janitors using this type of item with very large, thick floor mops. Turning the crank (outside) to squeeze the thick mop. Obviously before plastic! About 1940-1950's.

Helpful Reply
Annette on Oct 13, 2016
Make cheese?

Helpful Reply
Lynn Zdanko on Oct 13, 2016
I think it is dough box for kneading bread and then letting it rise.

Helpful Reply
Gin on Oct 13, 2016
Ice cream maker

Helpful Reply
Ruth Coates on Oct 13, 2016
Looks like an old mixer for a bakery, but how do you get it out sounds like a janitor bucket something is missing though like a handle or wheels on legs

Helpful Reply
Skrizzo on Oct 13, 2016
Maybe a butter churn.

Helpful Reply
Larry Mueller on Oct 13, 2016
It is for butter and cheese

Helpful Reply
Sharon payne on Oct 13, 2016
I think it is an old washing machine

Helpful Reply
Mar on Oct 13, 2016
I looked on Google looks like an antique box style butter churn. There should be a top to it though. Nice piece!

Helpful Reply
Allor on Oct 13, 2016
butter churn, missing the top, the paddles most likely will pop out.

Helpful Reply
Marianne on Oct 13, 2016
Lookslike a churn

Helpful Reply
Frank Maniaci on Oct 13, 2016
I think this was used to crush apples in cider production

Helpful Reply
Carolann on Oct 13, 2016
I think at one time there were small corn huskers made somewhat like these. That would be the corn that was used to feel animals.

Helpful Reply
Lolo on Oct 13, 2016
used to make string cheese

Helpful Reply
Lgr9562247 on Oct 13, 2016
Antique Blanchard Butter Churn Wooden Square

Helpful Reply
Pat on Oct 13, 2016
In Pennsylvania they were used as butter churne. Also called rotary churns

Helpful Reply
Marilyn Weaver on Oct 13, 2016
To churn butter

Helpful Reply
Sue Ross Boyce Wood on Oct 13, 2016
washing machine

Helpful Reply
Hou11750004 on Oct 13, 2016
Butter churn, but I think Lgrant_canada nailed it perfectly!

Helpful Reply
Rosanne on Oct 13, 2016
butter or cheese churn

Helpful Reply
Mar7806443 on Oct 13, 2016
🕹🎥💾

Helpful Reply
Mar7806443 on Oct 13, 2016
Washer.

Helpful Reply
Deanna Nassar on Oct 13, 2016
Butter churn is the last thing I would have thought of until I saw pictures on line.

Helpful Reply
Susan on Oct 13, 2016
Graph one . Old record player 1920's maybe

1 marked as helpful Reply
Cathy Bailey on Oct 13, 2016
butter churn, just bought one at an auction for 150.00

Helpful Reply
- Cathy Bailey on Oct 13, 2016
  Just wanted to say hello to another Cathy Bailey, I'm from Riverside, CA
  
  Helpful
Carol Rath on Oct 13, 2016
Think that it's an ice cream maker

Helpful Reply
Mar9665452 on Oct 13, 2016
Butter churn, my Mom had one.

Helpful Reply
Frances on Oct 13, 2016
Dough box. Mix your dough for loaves of bread.

Helpful Reply
Susan on Oct 13, 2016
Milk/cream seperator.

Helpful Reply
Dick Link on Oct 13, 2016
Looks like a butter churn

Helpful Reply
Linda on Oct 13, 2016
Dough Box

Helpful Reply
- Lawrence W Dubreuil on Oct 13, 2016
  none of the Dough Boxes I have looked at have a metal crank
  
  Helpful
Laura Kackman on Oct 13, 2016
I think it's a washing machine used to clean delicates that you could control the paddles as not to ruin the clothes. I also like the dough kneading idea!!

Helpful Reply
- Laura Kackman on Oct 15, 2016
  I didn't mean to unsubscribe to this post. I accidentally tapped unsubscribe!! I hope that this gets me back in the loop!!
  
  Helpful
Mar12497272 on Oct 13, 2016
Yes it's a butter churn

Helpful Reply
Colleen Patrick Rucker on Oct 13, 2016
It looks like a butter churn to me

Helpful Reply
Audrey on Oct 14, 2016
I thought it was an old phonograph( record player) but after seeing the inside I must agree with the other response. It does look like it was meant to wash something.

Helpful Reply
Rose Jones on Oct 14, 2016
Whatever it is, don't refinish it or paint it. Leave it as it is. It's beautiful!

Helpful Reply
A on Oct 14, 2016
I think it's a washing machine also.

Helpful Reply
Paula on Oct 14, 2016
I believe it is a butter churn

Helpful Reply
Jic9816115 on Oct 14, 2016
Looks like a butter churn https://www.google.ca/search?q=old+butter+chu...

Helpful Reply
Mary Mosher on Oct 14, 2016
My vote is with the butter churn.

Helpful Reply
Tim on Oct 14, 2016
This indeed a butter churn , My family ran a dairy farm when I was growing up , We had to have the butter churned ib time for the pick up by train to go into town . This was very handy in making hand churned butter .

Helpful Reply
Lin6350453 on Oct 14, 2016
Makes cheese

Helpful Reply
Sms11690512 on Oct 14, 2016
Dough maker

Helpful Reply
MikeM on Oct 14, 2016
Early clothes washing tub?

Helpful Reply
Judie Deane on Oct 14, 2016
Butter Churn

Helpful Reply
Steven Jurenes on Oct 14, 2016
I have seen one before. It is a butter churn.

Helpful Reply
RedDog on Oct 14, 2016
Butter churn

Helpful Reply
Cap11427417 on Oct 14, 2016
Butter churn

Helpful Reply
Mark Kendel on Oct 14, 2016
Washer.

Helpful Reply
Margy on Oct 14, 2016
It is definitely an early clothes washer though the top is missing ...I have one and the paddles are exactly the same

Helpful Reply
Alice Owens on Oct 14, 2016
I believe it is a cream separator

Helpful Reply
Laurie A Gagnon on Oct 14, 2016
Could be use for breaking down flax to make rope or linen

Helpful Reply
Latefall on Oct 14, 2016
Pretty sure it's a butter churn. Used to be a family activity with everyone taking a turn. Washers had a plug/hole to let the water out.

Helpful Reply
Holly shaffer on Oct 14, 2016
Looks like a washing machine

Helpful Reply
Paula Glover on Oct 14, 2016
It is called a daisy churn and it is for making butter. Rare find even if the top is missing.

Helpful Reply
Heather Summers on Oct 14, 2016
I agree ith Alice. Either a Cream Separator or Butter Churn. Definately NOT a clothes washer. For one, there is not enough room to put the clothes in and the paddles are too big. It is definately a Cream Seperator or Butter Churn. Most likely th Seperator because of the quantity and size of the holes in the paddles. Also, judgng by the 2nd photo, it would appear that the side panel either slides up or moves in some way (?). If so, this would allow the cream to be poured into a bucket or basin for collection. Hope this helps.

Helpful Reply
Jacques on Oct 14, 2016
Could be a butter or ice cream maker

Helpful Reply
Sue Braun on Oct 14, 2016
Looks like an old record player. My Grandma had one.

Helpful Reply
- Rose on Oct 14, 2016
  woudnt be much left of record if you tried this!!!
  
  Helpful
Sally Leigh Janunas on Oct 14, 2016
separates corn from husk

Helpful Reply
Tracee on Oct 14, 2016
It's a butter churn.

Helpful Reply
Wranglerold on Oct 14, 2016
No butter or ice cream gonna hold up in there. Take that to your feed store in the area an ask them, that looks like something they used to rashen out feed to cattle in the 1940-1950s, .

Helpful Reply
Lawrie Roo on Oct 14, 2016
An old washing machine

Helpful Reply
Vic9261701 on Oct 14, 2016
looks like a washing machine to me.

Helpful Reply
Wranglerold on Oct 14, 2016
Ok, sorry for jumping to conclusions,just took your picture to feed store an gentlemen their said one of two thing. The other person was right to, a old butter churn or a old corn sheller,he said it was hard to tell with out the top, but one of those two.

Helpful Reply
Karen Ellison on Oct 14, 2016
With the rounded bottom and holes in the paddles one would pour in cream that was high in butterfat crank till the the whey (waterey liquid) would seperate from the solids then strain leaving butter to be placed into molds or containers

Helpful Reply
Karen on Oct 14, 2016
It is a large butter churn used to make large amounts of butter. Many large dairy farms used them.

Helpful Reply
Cga10282806 on Oct 14, 2016
Butterchurn

Helpful Reply
Pam Olson on Oct 14, 2016
Hi y'all. This is not a corn sheller. My grandma had one and we used it to shell popcorn. They looked just like the photo above on the outside - wooden box with a crank. BUT - the shellers had a heavy round metal disk inside with sharp metal cones on it - definitely not wooden paddles. I think we can rule that out - so that leaves butter churn or washer. See the link here for a vintage churn. Cut/paste the URL. Looks very similar: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Butter-Churn/...

Helpful Reply
Anne Torrance Bachmann on Oct 14, 2016
Butter churn missing the top

Helpful Reply
Sjs7795846 on Oct 14, 2016
Apple cider crank

Helpful Reply
Ag Castor on Oct 14, 2016
It's a churn, I think. See if the wood feels a little greasy from the butterfat.

Helpful Reply
Donna on Oct 14, 2016
I'm pretty sure this is a farm unit used to sort or process some sort of produce (separate hulls or husks or pods from the 'fruit') It is not a butter churn.

Helpful Reply
Lin11299034 on Oct 14, 2016
Old washing tub. Crank turns agitators

Helpful Reply
- Tanya on Oct 14, 2016
  I agree with you. Metal wasn't always readily available to make the tub so wood was used.
  
  Helpful
Sarah Brule Kujawa on Oct 14, 2016
Looks like a butter churn to me

Helpful Reply
Eileen B. on Oct 14, 2016
I think it is a wash tub

Helpful Reply
Barri Kelly on Oct 14, 2016
Could this be a corn sheller?

Helpful Reply
Berma Holub on Oct 14, 2016
I go with wash tub.

Helpful Reply
Tamara on Oct 14, 2016
Dish washer

Helpful Reply
DiannaLynne on Oct 14, 2016
butter churn

Helpful Reply
Kathi S on Oct 14, 2016
Yes, it is a butter churn, industrial type.

Helpful Reply
George Warner on Oct 14, 2016
DiannaLynne is correct… ;-)

Helpful Reply
George Warner on Oct 14, 2016
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/da...

1 marked as helpful Reply
Katy Madsen on Oct 14, 2016
It's for washing clothes

Helpful Reply
Rud9605245 on Oct 14, 2016
The wooden item is a butter churn.churn

Helpful Reply
Jameece on Oct 14, 2016
Definitely butter churn. Google butter churn and look at the images. Then google corn sheller. Totally different.

Helpful Reply
Ruth Sharon Mc Govern on Oct 14, 2016
Butter churn

Helpful Reply
Cha6045978 on Oct 14, 2016
It looks like a flour bin back in the day when they bought large quanties of flour. Turn the paddle and the flour would come out.

Helpful Reply
Peggy Chauvet on Oct 14, 2016
It's a butter churn.

Helpful Reply
Lemons on Oct 14, 2016
Butter churn.... I have used one like that growing up on a dairy farm.....

Helpful Reply
Sheila Cooke on Oct 14, 2016
It's a butter churn. We moved onto a Ranch in the '60's. It had been a very large working ranch at the turn of the Century and a lot of the 'tools' they used back then were still there. One of the items was a butter churn that held 45 gallons of cream. It was shaped similar to yours and the paddles inside looked exactly the same as yours.

Helpful Reply
Drp6149 on Oct 14, 2016
It looks like a large butter churn -- most smaller churns held up to about a gallon of milk -- but some of the larger ones used for making butter to sell would hold several gallons of milk.

Helpful Reply
Deanna on Oct 14, 2016
Butter churn

Helpful Reply
Rhonda moen on Oct 14, 2016
I disagree, I grew up on a Wi dairy farm. its a manual wahing machine

Helpful Reply
Gra11196640 on Oct 14, 2016
I think it is a washing machine also...

Helpful Reply
Peter on Oct 14, 2016
I agree with it being a washing machine. We'll take a good look at it it would be a heck of a job getting the butter out of it if it was a butter churn. Plus I remember years ago washing clothes in one like it. It was hard work but it washed the clothes very well

Helpful Reply
Denise Hanoski on Oct 14, 2016
Yep, it is a washing machine.

Helpful Reply
Hallie A. Vardell on Oct 14, 2016
Washing machine

Helpful Reply
Sue Braun on Oct 14, 2016
I agree. Many pieces like that came from farms and people would take the insides out and try to re purpose them. I'm not saying that is what it is. I just said it looked very much like one my Grandma had.

Helpful Reply
Havanacandle on Oct 14, 2016
I had one that was smaller. It IS a washer. I know it as a "Mangler" since it just mangled and paddled the dirt out of clothes.

Helpful Reply
Chris T Micallef on Oct 14, 2016
Washing machine or smashing grapes for wine...

Helpful Reply
Jacqui on Oct 14, 2016
perhaps a very old butter churn

Helpful Reply
Dick Link on Oct 14, 2016
how did they get the water out if it is a washer

Helpful Reply
Judy on Oct 14, 2016
Growing up, we had an antique butter churn that was made of wood. Perhaps it was owned by a general store that would sell its butter.

Helpful Reply
Jay Richards on Oct 14, 2016
I don't know but putting a glass top on it would make a great table and show piece. Jay

Helpful Reply
Monique Clouatre on Oct 14, 2016
Dont Laugh at me. This was used to make ice cream.

Helpful Reply
Brenda on Oct 14, 2016
I think it is a corn sheller.

Helpful Reply
- Latefall on Oct 15, 2016
  The shellers I've seen have one end the corn goes in and another end that the cob comes out.
  
  Helpful
Marty Stahl on Oct 14, 2016
Could it be a flour sifter???

Helpful Reply
- Latefall on Oct 15, 2016
  Holes too big. They were usually built into a kitchen cupboard.
  
  Helpful
Ssp10474766 on Oct 15, 2016
I grew up on a farm in Nebraska and we had an ice cream maker that looked exactly like this. Seems like a piece or two of the component is missing but it is an exact image of what I recall.

Helpful Reply
- See 1 previous
- Latefall on Oct 15, 2016
  Where was the ice placed?
  
  Helpful
- Mts7827799 on Oct 15, 2016
  I would ask the same question. Ice cream freezers were constructed differently and with a round shape.
  
  Helpful
Scrapbooking Marilyn on Oct 15, 2016
I collect butter churns and this is an old butter churn minus the cover.

Helpful Reply
Gma8064473 on Oct 15, 2016
It's an antique washing machine.

Helpful Reply
Latefall on Oct 15, 2016
I know it seems big, but if you have 8 kids and bake everyday you probably go through a lot of butter. My mom said it was always on the table, and all kids had to take turns cranking. No tv. Lol

Helpful Reply
Har12230720 on Oct 15, 2016
So I was wrong, it was just a guess.

Helpful Reply
- Mts7827799 on Oct 15, 2016
  No problem.
  
  Helpful
Ray6172861 on Oct 15, 2016
I think I've seen once something like that for the cheese when I was very young and it was a very old think used for more than hundred years ago ... and I'm leaving in Switzerland ... we have chocolate but also a lot of cheese 😊 For the bitter we have a round littel barrel with thre piece of wood inside and an other one outside to turn the cream to butter. Please excuse my english ... I usually speak french!

Helpful Reply
Charlotte Adams on Oct 15, 2016
Antique washing machine seems plausible.

Helpful Reply
Claire Shoemaker on Oct 15, 2016
Butter machine

Helpful Reply
Patricia Morehouse Panko on Oct 15, 2016
My guess would be an antique washing machine.

Helpful Reply
Lynn on Oct 15, 2016
I believe this is a paddle butter churn, also called a barrel or box churn. There should be a lid on it. The wooden paddles eventually became metal paddles. I think it was used in mid 1800's and forward, although I did read an article that stated this type of churn was use as early as 1750. The cream, etc. was poured in, the hand crank turned the paddles.......churning the butter.

Helpful Reply
Dar12623646 on Oct 15, 2016
It was usedyo grind grains roughly then a smaller grinder to refine it more.

Helpful Reply
BJ on Oct 15, 2016
Butter making machine. Look for similar on eBay.

Helpful Reply
Bettygreer33 on Oct 15, 2016
It's a corn shelled

Helpful Reply
- Donpaulin on Oct 15, 2016
  NOT a corn sheller!
  
  Helpful
Cwh6899259 on Oct 15, 2016
Butter churn

Helpful Reply
C Singfield on Oct 15, 2016
Washing machine?

Helpful Reply
Jodi Rauth on Oct 15, 2016
I'm pretty sure its dried bean sheller

Helpful Reply
Jodi Rauth on Oct 15, 2016
There's a much larger version of this in huntsville Alabama farmers market. You put the pods with beans in it and crank it and it beats the pods and dried beans drop to the bottom.

Helpful Reply
Carol Farrar on Oct 15, 2016
Butterchurn..top is missing

Helpful Reply
Bettygreer33 on Oct 15, 2016
A corn sheller

Helpful Reply
Egt12326531 on Oct 15, 2016
Probably a dry pea sheller.

Helpful Reply
Bai11340945 on Oct 15, 2016
Butterchurn. The one my ma (grandma) used was a little bigger, had a lid.

Helpful Reply
Pam Kettner on Oct 15, 2016
There is one at the Barberville Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts in Barberville Florida. Look their phone number up and ask them. I can't remember off hand.

Helpful Reply
Lisa on Oct 15, 2016
I thought butter churn at first or a wheat separator no hole on the bottom. I'm thinking washing machine before the steel ones were made

Helpful Reply
Ssp10474766 on Oct 16, 2016
I'm reading your responses and agree that I might be falsely remembering the shape of the ice cream maker. While I still think it is possible this square one is one we put in a large tub of ice and poured in our ingredients for ice cream and sat and hand turned for what seemed like hours as a child. The round shaped design certainly was popular and I do recall that as well. In that one there was a center tub where we poured in ingredients and the ice went in the outer walls and we hand turned that as well. I have no issue with being wrong if I am. Such is life.

Helpful Reply
Karen Silman on Oct 16, 2016
Victrola but the upper par is missing?

Helpful Reply
Patti Fries on Oct 16, 2016
I think either a butter churn or possibly and dough kneeder?

Helpful Reply
Donna on Oct 16, 2016
I showed your photos to my mother who is 90 and grew up on a farm. She believes this is probably a corn husker for field corn. Field corn is a corn not meant for human consumption. It's used to feed cows and horses. The kernels are very hard. Typically you drop the ear a contraption and crank it, the beaters knock off the kernels. The kernels and the cob would fall into a basket kept underneath and the ears would be easy to pick out. My mother remembers turning the crank when she was very little.

Helpful Reply
Patricia Wanat-Allard on Oct 16, 2016
Kneads dough for bread making

Helpful Reply
- Latefall on Oct 17, 2016
  I thought butter churn, but kneading dough would make a lot of sense. Thanks. Never knew about those.
  
  Helpful
GBK on Oct 16, 2016
This is a butter churn, definitely. I have one like it, it's circa 1900.

Helpful Reply
- See 3 previous
- Snance on Oct 16, 2016
  Goodybhai - would you have photos of your butter churn that you might share? If that's what this is, I think I'm missing some parts i.e. lid and handle. I've researched everywhere I can think of to find another item like this, but have not found anything yet. Most of the butter churns I'm finding have completely different type paddles inside. Are your paddles removeable? Thank you.
  
  Helpful
- GBK on Oct 17, 2016
  My churn is on loan right now at the local museum, so can't immediately get photos. But yes, you will need a lid and a wooden carved handle to slip into the crank. I think if you can get some vintage lumber, it wouldn't be too hard to make either one of those things. The lid fit just like a pot lid, with an interior rim for snugness, and an exterior lip to hold it on top. The wooden handle was just a shaped piece, like many other items of the era had. Give it a shot! :-)What have you got to lose! (yes, paddles can be removed for cleaning)
  
  Helpful
- Alex on Oct 17, 2016
  I'm glad you were able to answer the question....I was thinking along the lines of monkey organ, or really old washing machine!!! Ha ha
  
  Helpful
- GBK on Oct 17, 2016
  Lol, I would volunteer for laundry duty, but gentle cycle only!
  
  Helpful
Carol Adams on Oct 16, 2016
Goodybhai is correct. It is a butter churn. We have one similar to it in a local musuem

Helpful Reply
Pan7586766 on Oct 16, 2016
Butter churn

Helpful Reply
Tina Graves on Oct 17, 2016
I learn new things on here all the time.

Helpful Reply
Jsm on Oct 17, 2016
It's a butter churn for certain

Helpful Reply

Other

More

Can anyone identify this vintage wooden crank box?