This brace or brace type tool is in an antique store I visit regularly looking for cheap, needy tools and I can't imagine what it is for or might do. Overall about 28'' with about 14'' or half of it a flat blade like 1/4'' thick. The 3 support rods for the pad lead me to think that it has to be used with a lot of force/pressure on it to do what ever it does. TIA for your help.

Newbie Charlie

Looks like a handle for an ice cream churn or something similar.

Those are called a "cage head" brace and are usually blacksmith made. Hard to tell what the purpose was.

Mike