In my household you can’t serve ham without baked potatoes and you can’t serve a baked potato without butter. Realizing I had none of that golden ingredient, off I went to the neighborhood grocery for what I thought would be a simple chore.
Standing at the dairy counter I was amazed at the variety of choices before me. Cultured, light, extra-light, salt -free, whipped, flavored, in tubs, sticks, or blocks. Oh my, it made me yearn for those days at my grandma’s house where butter was simply butter.
The introduction of electricity to rural America and the advent of the commercial creamery all but destroyed the practice of making homemade butter by the 1950s. There were a some, like my grandma, who held to the tradition for a few years. Sadly enough, in most cases, if you were born after 1955 you have probably never had the pleasure of biscuits warm from the oven covered with melted hand-churned butter.
While the tradition may be long past, the equipment used for the process of churning has found a growing audience of collectors who watch for antique churns from the late 1700s through the early 20th century.
Plunge churns, also referred to as “up and down” or dash churns, consist of a tall cylinder shaped earthenware or wood vessel and a wooden plunger. Their plungers, if original, will be perforated with wooden cross boards on the end to agitate the cream. Early examples from the late 1700s-1850 will be made of cedar with an oak top and wooden ribs. If you are viewing an example from the post-Civil War years you will find that in place of the wooden ribs there will be bands of brass.
Barrel churns and box churns were also popular from the mid-1700s thru the Civil War years. These were mounted in a small cradle and the entire churn was turned by a hand crank, or agitated by swinging from side to side. Many of these were imported to the colonies and will have tall wooden slatted sides and a wooden stomper with an “X” shape agitator at the end of the shaft. One of the earliest U.S. manufacturers was the Blanchard Churn Company based in Nashua, New Hampshire. You will often find their name on the side of their churns, giving them crossover appeal as an advertising collectible.
Paddle churns came with both wooden and earthenware crock bases. Again these will have a paddle attached to a rod that fits through a wooden lid. They will be smaller in size than others churns and were very popular with homemakers in the late 1800s as their dimensions made them easier to use. Many of these will have galling numbers or beautiful designs that can help you determine their area of origin.
Millions of hand-turned glass churn jars were produced from 1825-1960s. Early churns were made in 1-4 quart styles with 6 and 8 quart jars in the 1920s. In order of appearance, the styles will be beveled edge jars, then square shouldered Bullseye jars, and finally slope shoulder jars. Churns after 1936 will have only two wooden paddles.
While Dazey reigns as the most recognizable name in churns, also watch for Taylor Brothers Churn & Manufacturing Company of Saint Louis, Missouri, Juergens Brothers Minneapolis, Minnesota and Belknap Hardware & Mfg. Co., Louisville, Kentucky. Until next time . . . Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com
