I don't collect old kitchen stuff -- just old hose nozzles, much to the bafflement of my DH -- but seeing these old treasures and reading about your great aunt Lena makes me wish I did. Hope you find a good home for them, and thanks for sharing the story.

I know there is someone here who has a perfect place.
If I could make a suggestion, write down a little bit about your aunt and the history of these. It's called 'Provenance'.
There might be someone who deals with antiques, too, who would really appreciate them.

I do, but I, too, am downsizing. Luckily, I have a sister with kids. Another sister and I without kids are bringing everything family we have to her and she's mad. She also can't part with family stuff. BTW. That sister is in E. Lansing!

Thanks for sharing the history!

secondhalf, if you don't find any takers here, you might consider donating them to a local museum or library. I had some old things, an inkwell, pens, and an eye wash glass, that I donated to the children's library. I told the librarian to let the kids handle them. If they break, they break, but kids will enjoy learning if they can hold the items rather than just looking through glass.

Oh No, I am so sorry to hear about your tornado, water, and mud, just glad that you didn't mention anyone being injured. How generous of you to offer these treasures a new home, and I hope you find the perfect landing spot for them. Sounds like you inherited some of those great qualities you describe in your great aunt Lena!

Good luck for a rapid cleanup and recovery.

Is that wooden thing a mouse guillotine?

I bet "that wooden thing" is a slaw cutter. The beater is fantastic, a real collector's item.

hi everyone-

I've posted another pic of Dando's "mouse guillotine" (I think they used barn cats instead....) and after looking up schoolhouse's suggestion of "slaw cutter", sure enough, some pics similar to Aunt Lena's came up. Hers has a really nice rounded handle at the top, and given how well- used it looks, they must have made a LOT of slaw. She grew up on a farm in southern Michigan, and my dining room table is actually an old table with 8 leaves --they'd carry the entire table outside and set it up in the field to feed the farm hands...it seats 20.

And, schoolhouse inspired me to take a closer look at the beater-it's from Tarpin Mfg Co out of New Britain CT and it's the model from 1908, which is perfect, because a woman who contacted me and treasure things like this is renovating her 1908 house...what a cool happenstance. Will be sending them off as soon as she sends her address to me!

CEFreeman- my Aunt Lena lived the last 30 years of her life in East Lansing!! Such a small world.

Thanks so much everyone for helping me find some pleasure in this grand mess at my home, and for helping me honor a woman who is never far from my thoughts.

I am so excited and will post pictures once we've been able to move back in - her things will have a place of honor! Awesome that the beater model is from 1908, what a great year!
Thank you so much!!!!