Number one shows a continental coffee grinder of 18th/nineteenth century date, AND a quite delightful seventeenth (probably) instrument from the same area (North Europe) which is either a mainspring cramp, or a nut cracker.
Hi Mike, I think I put this blog entry up in September 2016; can't imagine why it hung fire for so long. There is a central slot below the coffee-grinder drawer into which the 'mainspring cramp' was fitted to clamp the coffee-grinder to a table, but it could also be used for such purposes as you suggested.
Number one shows a continental coffee grinder of 18th/nineteenth century date, AND a quite delightful seventeenth (probably) instrument from the same area (North Europe) which is either a mainspring cramp, or a nut cracker.
ReplyDeleteHi Mike,
DeleteI think I put this blog entry up in September 2016; can't imagine why it hung fire for so long.
There is a central slot below the coffee-grinder drawer into which the 'mainspring cramp' was fitted to clamp the coffee-grinder to a table, but it could also be used for such purposes as you suggested.
Item two is another (probably slightly later) coffee grinder from the same general area.
ReplyDeleteitem number three appears to be a large early (possibly late 18th century flax scutcher.
Items nmuber 4, 5, and 6 are Chinese.
ReplyDeleteYes
DeleteItem 3 appears to be a very large flax scutcher. 18th/19th century.
DeleteItem number 8 (the ? pearl) we have had before, I think.
ReplyDeleteYes, a lovely baroque pearl set as a babe in a gold and pearl crib.
DeleteThe second photo in number 9 is a delightful French (ah, how seldom we see those two words together) cased corkscrew of eighteenth century date.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe the case is covered in shagreen.
DeleteI wonder who nicked the numbers from the last pictures (10 - 14).