My fascination with vintage kitchen items began a long time ago. Like many people, I have fond memories of things my mother had and used -- Pyrex bowls, cookie cutters, and more, as well as the grater my father used to make potato pancakes and the pot both my parents used for making soup. This year I am doing a series of posts on humble, time-worn kitchen utensils that make many of us nostalgic, and are often still in use.
I have a good collection of vintage things in my kitchen. Most are displayed on the top of my kitchen cabinets when they are not in service. The first things I purchased decades ago, when I was in my twenties, were crank-operated flour sifters. My mother had a trigger-handle sifter, not because that was her preference, but because that was what was available when she set up her kitchen. Over time the trigger became more difficult to work. After using a crank flour sifter at a friend’s house, I wanted one.
While living in Southernmost Maryland I mentioned my wish for a crank-operated sifter to my friend Holin, who directed me to local stores that sold vintage items. (My favorite, The Apple Basket in Mechanicsville, Maryland, is a place I visit every time I’m back in the area.) I purchased a few tin crank-operated sifters that were, as Holin put it, “used but like something your mother would give you.”
http://www.applebasketantiques.com/
A little later, I found and bought two new Bromwell sifters, one large and one small. (I also bought a large one for my mother, who was happy to receive it.) The larger model is Bromwell’s standard size and holds 5 cups of flour. Jacob Bromwell patented the first flour sifter in 1819, and you can order such sifters. with their four-wire stainless steel agitators, from the Jacob Bromwell company at https://www.jacobbromwell.com. (Amazon is also a source.) Bromwell sifters are still made in the United States.
Bromwell sifters are still on the market. Photo from jacobbromwell.com
My sifters are the traditional tin kind, but now Bromwell also offers models in stainless steel and even copper. (I may splurge and try the stainless steel one at some point.)
Here are some of the vintage flour sifters from my Pinterest page. Many of the decorated sifters were from lines of matching kitchen items, and you may find canisters, dust pans, and more in the same patterns.
Vintage Bromwell sifter with apple design, made in the USA, with a vintage red-handled egg beater.
Vintage Willow brand sifter with floral design, made in Australia.
Vintage red accented Sift-Chine flour sifter, made in the USA, with other vintage red ware.
Fairy brand flour sifter, circa 1940s, with blue and white stripe design, made in Australia. Note the big spring visible in the handle!
This vintage still life of wonderful things, including a flour sifter with cherries and red stripes, is from Scrapbook.com. Cherries were a popular kitchen motif, and cherry kitchen items are highly sought after by collectors today.
Androck Hand-i-Sift 3-screen flour sifter with floral design, circa 1950s, made in the USA.
