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 kitchen, 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.

Most 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 Grandma-mas' 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 TNR 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 encyclopedia sets!!). 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. 

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 such: 

* = that the resource is a LCF book; 
_____ = the name/s given for that item;
(1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th 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.  

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

Click here and start typing. Illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo nemo enim ipsam voluptatem.

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

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

Every beer (made with the grain of hops) company gave away these combo can/bottle openers, commonly called "church keys." Today one is still needed to "open" (i.e. punch 2 holes: 1 lge. & 1 small) in a can of evaporated milk.

Bottle Openers
Bottle Openers
I never could
I never could
figure out
figure out
how to open a can with one of  these!
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!
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" -- was 50¢
a "jar sealer" & also called a "lid wrench" -- 3.5" x 6.75" -- was 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?

Your Title

This is where your text starts. You can click here to start typing. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium totam rem aperiam eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo nemo enim ipsam voluptatem.

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
"Strains, Drains, Beats, Blends, Whips, Mixes"  (middle on right) ----->
"Strains, Drains, Beats, Blends, Whips, Mixes" (middle on right) ----->
Swans Down Cake ....
Swans Down Cake .... <----- Flour
Known as batter whips; wooden handles could be blue & white; blue, yellow, red, green, or unpainted.
Known as batter whips; wooden handles could be blue & white; blue, yellow, red, green, or unpainted.
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. <-----
older wire batter whips
older wire batter whips
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 1891-1952) (https://www.toledo-bend.us/VCL/info_2/drgm.html)
FRAKO D. R. G. M. (Germany, used 1891-1952) (https://www.toledo-bend.us/VCL/info_2/drgm.html)
L - Globe Delivery Company
L - Globe Delivery Company
seems like a cake lifter or server vs. a pie server
seems like a cake lifter or server vs. a pie server
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.
Assorted - pinchers L & R; #2 & 3 from L. = copper soldering tools.
Assorted - pinchers L & R; #2 & 3 from L. = copper soldering tools.
possibly a baker's scraper - German
possibly a baker's scraper - German