Colonial Wooden Butter Paddle, circa 1750 – 1800

This is another nice early piece being offered, it is a wooden butter paddle, circa 1750 – 1800. Like most of these paddles, they were handmade, this one measuring 10” x 5”. They were used to work butter in a wooden bowl into a form. Has a hook at top of handle for hanging the paddle on the bowl.

One of the simplest ways to mold butter was to just use butter spades to work the buttermilk out of the butter. One could form the butter into the desired shape after working the buttermilk out. There was no mold, the butter was just free formed into a shape. These paddles are featured in “Collector’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution” and “Early American Antique Country Furnishings” (see pictures). This paddle is in very nice condition with a great aged patina.