Some boxes of auction items that my mother purchased, at first glance, do not seem all that interesting. We really like the boxes of glassware or pottery, but the old iron or metal stuff just doesn't seem all that great. We just keep pushing them to the side looking for other boxes of real goodies, but sooner or later we are going to have to go through those other boxes. 
We started going through one such box. There were light fixtures - some of the glass globes were pretty cool. Then we found this - looked like a sausage stuffer gadget to me. My brother, sister-in-law and sister weren't too sure. We just couldn't figure out what else it could be. So it was one of the items I brought home to do a little research on. I have a large book of old kitchen items so hopefully, I could find it.
Stamped on the item was: New Std. Cor. Mt. Joy PA Pat Pending #70. What was really different was that it had Left Hand stamped on one side and Right Hand stamped on the other side. The handle is connected with a pin so you could move the handle from one side to the other. That's cool. I started looking through my reference book for sausage stuffers. Can't find one that quite looks like mine. Tried googling; not much luck; a lot of #50s but doesn't look like mine. OK, going through the book; page by page. You know when I start doing that, I start reading about different things that catch my attention. This became an all afternoon process. And, then I saw it. It's a cherry pitter. Back on the computer looking up cherry pitters #70. Not many but there are a few to look at. Looks like mine is missing the bar clamp, but I see where it would attach. 
Not too much information - looks like it was probably made between 1920 to 1930. It is just too cool! Still not too sure exactly how it works, but happy to know what it is. Laid it on my dining room table on the paper I had wrapped it in. Next thing I know, Sadie Cat is laying with the cherry pitter. Has her paw on it and is fast asleep. For several days she gets on the dining table and sleeps with the cherry pitter even when I move it around to different spots of the table. She loves the cherry pitter. 
I wonder if she is going to let me sell it! It's hard to say "no" to Sadie Cat!
Takes a lot of diligent research to find out what some things were used for. Interesting that it can be "left-handed". Hopefully, when the time comes (to part with it) Sadie will be ready to move on to other things!
ReplyDeleteThat's so cute about Sadie. Maybe there's a memory there from one of her past kitty lives.
ReplyDeleteDoing research like that is like putting a puzzle together...it's good in small doses. I know you enjoyed it :)