Unexpected Yard Sale Discovery

I stumbled upon this intriguing item at a local yard sale, and I’m at a complete loss as to what it might be. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you know!

Before the days of modern washing machines, doing laundry was quite a manual process. It involved soaking, beating, and scrubbing the clothes, all of which had to be done by hand. And without indoor plumbing, water had to be transported from sources such as a pump or a well.

The laundry process required carrying water, heating it over a fire to get it warm enough for washing, and then transferring it to a tub. Practically, only a limited quantity of warm and soapy water was available, so it was crucial to wash the cleaner clothes first, saving the dirtiest for last.

Once the washing step was completed, it wasn’t over yet. Clothes needed to be rinsed in clean water to ensure all the soap was removed. Then, to wring out the water, the laundry was rolled and manually twisted by hand. This manual wringing was one of the steps to get clothes as dry as possible before laying them out to dry—commonly a full day’s task when combined with ironing.