Calling All Detectives

[whitefork]

The object is a "Little Giant" nutcracker, patented in the US in 1881. I have this version: http://s802.photobucket.com/albums/yy302/whitefork/

I got the identification from the curator of the Nutcracker Museum in Leavenworth, KS.

Link to the only patent for a nutcracker I could find in 1881:
http://www.google.com/patents/about?...utcracker+1881

[Papaw]

Welcome to Tool Talk!
I am glad you looked at this old thread and found the answer, we were stumped!

[Bus]

Here's a picture of a lemon squeezer from "The Dictionary of American Hand Tools" by Alvin Sellens.

[Papaw]

That's it, Bus! Handles are different, but the tool is the same.

[whitefork]

excellent, great research, thank you. This has led me down some very interesting byways of the Internet.
The wooden one at the top of the thread was going for $295 at Kovels.com.

Patent information - http://www.google.com/patents/about?...q=steber+lemon May 3, 1881!

[dowdstools]

Thanks, Bus. I went to my copy of the Sellens book you mentioned and saw that. It's funny, but it didn't occur to me to look there. I sometimes forget kitchen items are handtools, too.

Lynn