Send your answers to the What Is It contest, postmarked by November 20, to the Mountain States Collector, P.O. Box 1003,  Bailey, CO 80421. At least three winners will be drawn. Winners will receive a year’s subscription to the Mountain States Collector.

The American Machine Co. fluter of the 1880s literally cranked out ruffles between the teeth of its corrugated rollers. Shown here with the heater slugs (left) that fitted into the rollers and the tools for inserting and removing them, the 8-inch-wide machine clamped to a table or counter top for use. Machines like this one in good condition are relatively […]

Jerry Michals of Aurora, Colorado tells us that September’s What Is It is a Muffin Bell. “This bell was commonly used by volunteer 19th Century fire fighters. The torch boy or firefighter leading the hand pulled hose reel or hand pumper would ring this bell as he led the way to the fire. These bells usually have an 1850s patent […]

We had one correct guess from our Alaskan reader Marjorie McLaren. August’s What Is It appears to be a place setting of china in the style of the presidential china selected by Mary Todd Lincoln for her husband, President Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865 term). It was the custom for each president to choose their own presidential china.  The Lincoln presidential china […]

We had no correct answers or our July’s What Is It. The item is an egg scale! If you are raising chickens for their eggs you might want such a device. “Reliable” Egg Scale. Speed-Accuracy. Los Angeles, CA. Circa 1920-1949. Gifting to my friend who has a new Hen House. The scale also works with gold, if that’s still more […]