Asked on Oct 13, 2016
Can anyone identify this vintage wooden crank box?
by
Snance
+246
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.
217 answers
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It is a butter churn. A very primitive one.
Tsomm3
on Oct 13, 2016
- See 1 previous
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I think it's an old butter churn
Net5230036
on Oct 13, 2016
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I think also a butter churn or for to make cheese ...
Ray6172861
on Oct 13, 2016
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Washing machine?
Rosa Young
on Oct 13, 2016
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I agree. Butter churn.
Lyn10709253
on Oct 13, 2016
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I think a large sized butter churn
Barry Landmon
on Oct 13, 2016
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I vote for the washer. That would be a lot of butter.
Ans10803042
on Oct 13, 2016
- See 1 previous
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Washer, churns were not made of wood. It would take a lot of cream to fill it
Har12230720
on Oct 13, 2016
- See 2 previous
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It's a corn sheller or shucker
Kathy Bellmon Robinson
on Oct 13, 2016
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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
Clova Vaughan
on Oct 13, 2016
- See 1 previous
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Do not know.
Gerry Sahlin
on Oct 13, 2016
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Early butter churns were wooden
Sal12161582
on Oct 13, 2016
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I saw a display of many old style clothes washers in Covington, Vt and this looks like one I saw there.
Bwf7968571
on Oct 13, 2016
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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.
Mts7827799
on Oct 13, 2016
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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
Bwf7968571
on Oct 13, 2016
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Manual washing machine
Mellie Ange
on Oct 13, 2016
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Butter churn. The dome lid is missing.
Leah
on Oct 13, 2016
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definitely a butter churn without the lid
Greg
on Oct 13, 2016
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Manual washing machine from the era of the 1920
Porland1624
on Oct 13, 2016
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Washing machine
Jka10139579
on Oct 13, 2016
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I would guess that is a farm size butter churn.
Njlou
on Oct 13, 2016
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Butter churn.
Karen Pullen
on Oct 13, 2016
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Saw a similar looking thing several years ago ... it was used for processing cornmeal from dried cobs.
Mary Lou Morin
on Oct 13, 2016
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Corn shucker
J.
on Oct 13, 2016
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butter churn. See link http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/371264933844-0-...
Sarah
on Oct 13, 2016
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don't think it's a corn chucker if you look on line those were very narrow...this box is not
Sharon Novotni
on Oct 13, 2016
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It's an old clothes washer
Spankymcstupid
on Oct 13, 2016
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Early washing mackine?
Chu10688527
on Oct 13, 2016
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washingh machinw
Roberta Kantola
on Oct 13, 2016
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pea sheller
Antk556
on Oct 13, 2016
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Washing machine
Dianne Bullard Veach
on Oct 13, 2016
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Butter churn?
Joyce Boshell
on Oct 13, 2016
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I believe it is an early butter churn
Helen Sanderson
on Oct 13, 2016
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butter churn
Eileen Blaney
on Oct 13, 2016
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Me too. Butter churn.
Suzanne Lee
on Oct 13, 2016
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Apple press
Toe7478550
on Oct 13, 2016
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Early washing machine.
Leslie
on Oct 13, 2016
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Butter churn. Or--- it knocks the kernels off dry corn
Dwi5997718
on Oct 13, 2016
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Ancient washing machine
Raymond Le Forestier
on Oct 13, 2016
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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.
Art12853003
on Oct 13, 2016
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Make cheese?
Annette
on Oct 13, 2016
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I think it is dough box for kneading bread and then letting it rise.
Lynn Zdanko
on Oct 13, 2016
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Ice cream maker
Gin
on Oct 13, 2016
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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
Ruth Coates
on Oct 13, 2016
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Maybe a butter churn.
Skrizzo
on Oct 13, 2016
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It is for butter and cheese
Larry Mueller
on Oct 13, 2016
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I think it is an old washing machine
Sharon payne
on Oct 13, 2016
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I looked on Google looks like an antique box style butter churn. There should be a top to it though. Nice piece!
Mar
on Oct 13, 2016
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butter churn, missing the top, the paddles most likely will pop out.
Allor
on Oct 13, 2016
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Lookslike a churn
Marianne
on Oct 13, 2016
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I think this was used to crush apples in cider production
Frank Maniaci
on Oct 13, 2016
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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.
Carolann
on Oct 13, 2016
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used to make string cheese
Lolo
on Oct 13, 2016
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Antique Blanchard Butter Churn Wooden Square
Lgr9562247
on Oct 13, 2016
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In Pennsylvania they were used as butter churne. Also called rotary churns
Pat
on Oct 13, 2016
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To churn butter
Marilyn Weaver
on Oct 13, 2016
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washing machine
Sue Ross Boyce Wood
on Oct 13, 2016
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Butter churn, but I think Lgrant_canada nailed it perfectly!
Hou11750004
on Oct 13, 2016
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butter or cheese churn
Rosanne
on Oct 13, 2016
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🕹🎥💾
Mar7806443
on Oct 13, 2016
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Washer.
Mar7806443
on Oct 13, 2016
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Butter churn is the last thing I would have thought of until I saw pictures on line.
Deanna Nassar
on Oct 13, 2016
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Graph one . Old record player 1920's maybe
Susan
on Oct 13, 2016
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butter churn, just bought one at an auction for 150.00
Cathy Bailey
on Oct 13, 2016
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Think that it's an ice cream maker
Carol Rath
on Oct 13, 2016
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Butter churn, my Mom had one.
Mar9665452
on Oct 13, 2016
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Dough box. Mix your dough for loaves of bread.
Frances
on Oct 13, 2016
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Milk/cream seperator.
Susan
on Oct 13, 2016
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Looks like a butter churn
Dick Link
on Oct 13, 2016
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Dough Box
Linda
on Oct 13, 2016
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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!!
Laura Kackman
on Oct 13, 2016
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Yes it's a butter churn
Mar12497272
on Oct 13, 2016
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It looks like a butter churn to me
Colleen Patrick Rucker
on Oct 13, 2016
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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.
Audrey
on Oct 14, 2016
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Whatever it is, don't refinish it or paint it. Leave it as it is. It's beautiful!
Rose Jones
on Oct 14, 2016
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I think it's a washing machine also.
A
on Oct 14, 2016
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I believe it is a butter churn
Paula
on Oct 14, 2016
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Looks like a butter churn https://www.google.ca/search?q=old+butter+chu...
Jic9816115
on Oct 14, 2016
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My vote is with the butter churn.
Mary Mosher
on Oct 14, 2016
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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 .
Tim
on Oct 14, 2016
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Makes cheese
Lin6350453
on Oct 14, 2016
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Dough maker
Sms11690512
on Oct 14, 2016
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Early clothes washing tub?
MikeM
on Oct 14, 2016
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Butter Churn
Judie Deane
on Oct 14, 2016
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I have seen one before. It is a butter churn.
Steven Jurenes
on Oct 14, 2016
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Butter churn
RedDog
on Oct 14, 2016
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Butter churn
Cap11427417
on Oct 14, 2016
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Washer.
Mark Kendel
on Oct 14, 2016
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It is definitely an early clothes washer though the top is missing ...I have one and the paddles are exactly the same
Margy
on Oct 14, 2016
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I believe it is a cream separator
Alice Owens
on Oct 14, 2016
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Could be use for breaking down flax to make rope or linen
Laurie A Gagnon
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Latefall
on Oct 14, 2016
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Looks like a washing machine
Holly shaffer
on Oct 14, 2016
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It is called a daisy churn and it is for making butter. Rare find even if the top is missing.
Paula Glover
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Heather Summers
on Oct 14, 2016
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Could be a butter or ice cream maker
Jacques
on Oct 14, 2016
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Looks like an old record player. My Grandma had one.
Sue Braun
on Oct 14, 2016
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separates corn from husk
Sally Leigh Janunas
on Oct 14, 2016
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It's a butter churn.
Tracee
on Oct 14, 2016
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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, .
Wranglerold
on Oct 14, 2016
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An old washing machine
Lawrie Roo
on Oct 14, 2016
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looks like a washing machine to me.
Vic9261701
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Wranglerold
on Oct 14, 2016
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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
Karen Ellison
on Oct 14, 2016
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It is a large butter churn used to make large amounts of butter. Many large dairy farms used them.
Karen
on Oct 14, 2016
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Butterchurn
Cga10282806
on Oct 14, 2016
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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/...
Pam Olson
on Oct 14, 2016
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Butter churn missing the top
Anne Torrance Bachmann
on Oct 14, 2016
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Apple cider crank
Sjs7795846
on Oct 14, 2016
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It's a churn, I think. See if the wood feels a little greasy from the butterfat.
Ag Castor
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Donna
on Oct 14, 2016
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Old washing tub. Crank turns agitators
Lin11299034
on Oct 14, 2016
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Looks like a butter churn to me
Sarah Brule Kujawa
on Oct 14, 2016
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I think it is a wash tub
Eileen B.
on Oct 14, 2016
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Could this be a corn sheller?
Barri Kelly
on Oct 14, 2016
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I go with wash tub.
Berma Holub
on Oct 14, 2016
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Dish washer
Tamara
on Oct 14, 2016
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butter churn
DiannaLynne
on Oct 14, 2016
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Yes, it is a butter churn, industrial type.
Kathi S
on Oct 14, 2016
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DiannaLynne is correct… ;-)
George Warner
on Oct 14, 2016
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http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/da...
George Warner
on Oct 14, 2016
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It's for washing clothes
Katy Madsen
on Oct 14, 2016
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The wooden item is a butter churn.churn
Rud9605245
on Oct 14, 2016
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Definitely butter churn. Google butter churn and look at the images. Then google corn sheller. Totally different.
Jameece
on Oct 14, 2016
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Butter churn
Ruth Sharon Mc Govern
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Cha6045978
on Oct 14, 2016
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It's a butter churn.
Peggy Chauvet
on Oct 14, 2016
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Butter churn.... I have used one like that growing up on a dairy farm.....
Lemons
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Sheila Cooke
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Drp6149
on Oct 14, 2016
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Butter churn
Deanna
on Oct 14, 2016
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I disagree, I grew up on a Wi dairy farm. its a manual wahing machine
Rhonda moen
on Oct 14, 2016
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I think it is a washing machine also...
Gra11196640
on Oct 14, 2016
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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
Peter
on Oct 14, 2016
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Yep, it is a washing machine.
Denise Hanoski
on Oct 14, 2016
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Washing machine
Hallie A. Vardell
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Sue Braun
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Havanacandle
on Oct 14, 2016
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Washing machine or smashing grapes for wine...
Chris T Micallef
on Oct 14, 2016
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perhaps a very old butter churn
Jacqui
on Oct 14, 2016
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how did they get the water out if it is a washer
Dick Link
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Judy
on Oct 14, 2016
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I don't know but putting a glass top on it would make a great table and show piece. Jay
Jay Richards
on Oct 14, 2016
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Dont Laugh at me. This was used to make ice cream.
Monique Clouatre
on Oct 14, 2016
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I think it is a corn sheller.
Brenda
on Oct 14, 2016
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Could it be a flour sifter???
Marty Stahl
on Oct 14, 2016
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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.
Ssp10474766
on Oct 15, 2016
- See 1 previous
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I collect butter churns and this is an old butter churn minus the cover.
Scrapbooking Marilyn
on Oct 15, 2016
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It's an antique washing machine.
Gma8064473
on Oct 15, 2016
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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
Latefall
on Oct 15, 2016
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So I was wrong, it was just a guess.
Har12230720
on Oct 15, 2016
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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!
Ray6172861
on Oct 15, 2016
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Antique washing machine seems plausible.
Charlotte Adams
on Oct 15, 2016
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Butter machine
Claire Shoemaker
on Oct 15, 2016
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My guess would be an antique washing machine.
Patricia Morehouse Panko
on Oct 15, 2016
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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.
Lynn
on Oct 15, 2016
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It was usedyo grind grains roughly then a smaller grinder to refine it more.
Dar12623646
on Oct 15, 2016
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Butter making machine. Look for similar on eBay.
BJ
on Oct 15, 2016
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It's a corn shelled
Bettygreer33
on Oct 15, 2016
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Butter churn
Cwh6899259
on Oct 15, 2016
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Washing machine?
C Singfield
on Oct 15, 2016
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I'm pretty sure its dried bean sheller
Jodi Rauth
on Oct 15, 2016
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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.
Jodi Rauth
on Oct 15, 2016
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Butterchurn..top is missing
Carol Farrar
on Oct 15, 2016
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A corn sheller
Bettygreer33
on Oct 15, 2016
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Probably a dry pea sheller.
Egt12326531
on Oct 15, 2016
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Butterchurn. The one my ma (grandma) used was a little bigger, had a lid.
Bai11340945
on Oct 15, 2016
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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.
Pam Kettner
on Oct 15, 2016
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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
Lisa
on Oct 15, 2016
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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.
Ssp10474766
on Oct 16, 2016
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Victrola but the upper par is missing?
Karen Silman
on Oct 16, 2016
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I think either a butter churn or possibly and dough kneeder?
Patti Fries
on Oct 16, 2016
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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.
Donna
on Oct 16, 2016
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Kneads dough for bread making
Patricia Wanat-Allard
on Oct 16, 2016
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This is a butter churn, definitely. I have one like it, it's circa 1900.
GBK
on Oct 16, 2016
- See 3 previous
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Goodybhai is correct. It is a butter churn. We have one similar to it in a local musuem
Carol Adams
on Oct 16, 2016
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Butter churn
Pan7586766
on Oct 16, 2016
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I learn new things on here all the time.
Tina Graves
on Oct 17, 2016
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It's a butter churn for certain
Jsm
on Oct 17, 2016