Apple Parers

VINTAGE APPLE PARERS

 

Apple trees were not native to America.  They were brought to America , along with domestic honey bees during the 17th century and it quickly became an important agricultural product. Processing the heavy harvests was an important, but time consuming job often shared by communities like wheat threshing, barn-building or quilting.  Machines made of wood and blacksmithed parts were made to make some of the jobs easier...but the 19th century industrial revolution (with ironworks) created over 100 apple parer patents between 1850 and 1890!

 

Just take a look at this great website if you want to see some of the variety

 

http://appleparermuseum.com/GalleryTurntables.htm

 

 

There are many styles of apple parers: lathe, turntable, return, and arc.  The turn-table design seems to have survived in the greatest numbers as evidenced at my local auctions and antique shops, and like many of the kitchen "appliances" produced during that era, they were made to last and are still quite functional.

 

 

 

 

The Keen Kutter Apple Parer is frequently seen in my neck of the woods and is a version of the Goodell Turntable design patented in 1898.  Keen Kutter was a brand name sold by E.C. Simmons hardware company in St Louis. It comes in two slightly different versions.

 

 

This turn of the century apple parer is the Reading #78 style and is an excellent design that works beautifully.  It was also made for the Penn Hardware Company in Reading PA and called the "Penn Perfect".  It even has a small blade called a blossom cutter.  I am not sure of the patent date, but have seen 1915 ads. My parer will take the skin off an apple perfectly in one continuous piece!

 

 

 

This can save alot of time at canning time or just preparing fresh apples for a cobbler or pie.  The grandkids love helping grandma peel apples for snack time too.