We often feature mid-twentieth century items in our blog posts, but we also have a real passion for old country furniture.
We picked up this wonderful piece of rustic kitchenalia – we think it’s an antique potato masher.
Perhaps Irish in origin, although we’re not sure at this stage… a bit more research is required. It’s a very unusual piece.
BLOG UPDATE: 22nd June. We now think that the object in question is actually a cheese press. The wet cheese, contained within a cloth is pressed by the wooden block, the excess liquid draining through the holes. We’re still not sure about the country of origin. British/Irish is still likely, although continental Europe is a possibility – and we were also sent pictures of a very similarly designed piece which was in a U.S. auction of farm machinery. (Thanks to Erik Schepers).
If you like cottage interiors or country furniture, these books are well worth a look:
Irish Country Furniture (Amazon UK)
Irish Country Furniture (Amazon US)
English Cottage Interiors (Amazon UK)
English Cottage Interiors (Amazon US)
4 replies on “Potato masher… we think!”
Colossal job changing so many pics! Good luck to you!
I still don't know what that machine is. I've sent the link around though to friends, see if someone knows!
It could be a feed masher for livestock.
I think it is a cheese press.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27327/27327-h/2732…
http://www.aloemingauctions.com.ns139.alentus.com…
Nice piece. Hope I helped a bit.
Yes Erik, we like your suggestion very much! Our object looks a lot like the antique cheese press to which you linked. They remind us of those "nodding donkeys" that you see in oil fields in Texas etc.