National Bread Museum ~ ~ ~ Home Baking Artifacts

UTENSILS*
*Metals of all sorts, *wire, *wood, maybe some *rubber or *plastic parts, etc.

This page is dedicated to the display of some of the categories of BAKING ARTIFACT items held by the National Bread Museum of Grain-Baking-Bread Culture (NBM) in the overall category of what is generally considered UTENSILS. These would also commonly be called "kitchen tools." They are the hand-held items which have been very helpful in the kitchen (generally mid-1800s to 1999) for all aspects of baking & its related activities. Some have continued to be essential in today's home kitchens, while others have "seen their day."  Electricity, especially, & sometimes design & material composition (what the item is made of) have often "modernized" and eliminated the former, more time-consuming work of many bygone-era artifacts found in our grandma-mas' kitchens.

The majority of these utensils have a "circa" patent date of 1870 to WWII (mid-1930s/1940 mfg. time) & were purchased in German flohmarkts, 1988-91. Many that were originally newly purchased in the United States from the late 1800s, till let's say - WWII, were made in Germany and imported into the USA. But in the first half of the 1900s, there were also many start-up companies in the U.S. who began producing these same or similar items.

One of the best resources of identifying many of these items & sometimes their various "old fashioned names in our grandmothers' days" is Linda Campbell Franklin's (LCF) manuals of 300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles. In the 4th Edition (below, red), she has 10 pages (out of 31 pages of researching info), double column, probably .8-.9 font, of a bibliography of books recommended or consulted! The only "shortage" is not having a sketch or photo of each of the thousands of items listed in her books (which would then become a set of encyclopedias!!). She told me her books began with her enormous collection of old retail catalogs, & became a HUGE undertaking of years of her time and energy. To this historical documentation and educational museum project, they are of enormous value. 

3rd Edition = 1991
3rd Edition = 1991

In the listings on this NBM page, whenever I can find resource info regarding an item in Linda Campbell Franklin's 300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles books, & I want to give you some specific name or patent date, etc., in order to reference the source I will identify it as the following: 

* = that the resource is a LCF book; 
_____ = the name/s given for that item;
(1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th ed. = which edition of LCF's books I'm referencing, and the p. ___ = page)
NOTE:  The item/s might also be in LCF's other editions, but just one source will be referenced for this index.  

4th Edition = 1997
4th Edition = 1997

Green 5th Edition = 2003

Alphabetical Index of Utensil Categories 

Note that the word in this red color is the alphabetical listing as you scroll down.

~CAN OPENERS, Beer Bottle Openers

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~Mixing SPOONS, Whips, Beaters, Skimmers ~~~ for Batter - Cake - Egg

Bottle & Can Openers ~~~ Beer Bottle Openers ~~~ "Church Keys" ~ ~ ~

Every beer (made with the grain of hops) company gave away these combo can/bottle openers, commonly called "church keys."  There are hundreds, if not a thousand of these!  Today one is still needed to "open up" a can of evaporated milk by punching 2 holes:  1 large - pouring & 1 small - air.

Bottle Openers for a glass bottle of beer or pop.
Bottle Openers for a glass bottle of beer or pop.
1) I never could
1) I never could
2) figure out
2) figure out
3) how to open a can with one of  these!
3) how to open a can with one of these!
Guarantee expires July 1, 1955; Stanley Products, Chicago, Ill.
Guarantee expires July 1, 1955; Stanley Products, Chicago, Ill.
a wall-mounted can opener
a wall-mounted can opener
I have no idea how this
I have no idea how this
can opener works!
can opener works!

Jar Openers

This is what it took to "break" the rubber seal under the zinc or glass cover of a home-canned jar of food or juice.
This goes around the cover of a jar to open, or tightly seal, the cover.
This goes around the cover of a jar to open, or tightly seal, the cover.
a "jar sealer" & also called a "lid wrench" -- 3.5" x 6.75" -- (50¢)
a "jar sealer" & also called a "lid wrench" -- 3.5" x 6.75" -- (50¢)
Stockland Jar Sealer; (Mpls = Minneapolis, MN)
Stockland Jar Sealer; (Mpls = Minneapolis, MN)
heavy, cast iron -- SPEC. CO. MPLS.
heavy, cast iron -- SPEC. CO. MPLS.
PAT. ?APLD? or AP10 = April 1910?
PAT. ?APLD? or AP10 = April 1910?

A jar opener to crack the rubber ring seal under the lid.  Bought  in a mkt.- Germany - 1989-90; 
(2 were $3.33 & $11.00.)

Some "home canning" jar info:

An assortment of old canning lids, rings, closures, covers, etc.  Below & right - a spring-action closure.
An assortment of old canning lids, rings, closures, covers, etc. Below & right - a spring-action closure.
Old zinc covers get corrosive in time.
Old zinc covers get corrosive in time.
Another bendable metal closure to seal a glass cover & a rubber ring on a jar.
Another bendable metal closure to seal a glass cover & a rubber ring on a jar.

Above is a blue Ball canning jar.  

The 4 main canning jar companies were Atlas, Ball, Kerr, & Mason.
The 4 main canning jar companies were Atlas, Ball, Kerr, & Mason.
Some zinc covers had an
Some zinc covers had an
inscription on the glass lining:  "Genuine Brody's Cap for Mason Jar."
inscription on the glass lining: "Genuine Brody's Cap for Mason Jar."
Called "lids."  They're used one time.
Called "lids." They're used one time.
Covers & rings - they're used over & over again.
Covers & rings - they're used over & over again.

Mixing SPOONS, Whips, Beaters, Skimmers 

for Batter - Cake - Egg

cake mixing spoons or *L. "cake turner" (4th ed., p. 510)
cake mixing spoons or *L. "cake turner" (4th ed., p. 510)
Made in "Germany" (middle above)
Made in "Germany" (middle above)
L = Swans Down Cake Flour mixing spoon; R = a batter whip or skimmer
L = Swans Down Cake Flour mixing spoon; R = a batter whip or skimmer
SWANS DOWN CAKE FLOUR MAKES BETTER CAKES
SWANS DOWN CAKE FLOUR MAKES BETTER CAKES
older wire batter whips
older wire batter whips
Known as batter whips; wooden handles could be blue & white; blue, yellow, red, green, black & yellow, or unpainted.
Known as batter whips; wooden handles could be blue & white; blue, yellow, red, green, black & yellow, or unpainted.
"Strains, Drains, Beats, Blends, Whips, Mixes" . . . .
"Strains, Drains, Beats, Blends, Whips, Mixes" . . . . <----(middle on left)
Inscribed as "Batter Beater - Curved to fit the Bowl"" -  this red one, U.S. patent 1930.
Inscribed as "Batter Beater - Curved to fit the Bowl"" - this red one, U.S. patent 1930.

Your Title

cake whips & mixing spoons; perforated steel; *R - c. 1900 (4th ed., p. 88)
cake whips & mixing spoons; perforated steel; *R - c. 1900 (4th ed., p. 88)
FRAKO  D. R. G. M. (Germany, used "DRGM" initials 1891-1952) (https://www.toledo-bend.us/VCL/info_2/drgm.html)
FRAKO D. R. G. M. (Germany, used "DRGM" initials 1891-1952) (https://www.toledo-bend.us/VCL/info_2/drgm.html)
seems like a cake lifter or server vs. a pie server
seems like a cake lifter or server vs. a pie server
Left - Globe Delivery Company
Left - Globe Delivery Company
a dough scraper - possibly mid-1800s - German
a dough scraper - possibly mid-1800s - German

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Your Title

candy cutter, possibly, OR herb mincer, OR noodle cutter, OR a wall surfacing tool; just don't know.
candy cutter, possibly, OR herb mincer, OR noodle cutter, OR a wall surfacing tool; just don't know.

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Assorted - pinchers L & R; #2 & 3 from L. = copper soldering tools.
Assorted - pinchers L & R; #2 & 3 from L. = copper soldering tools.

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Your Title

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