So many beautiful kitchen tools and perhaps the pie crimper is the loveliest form of all, but while I’m always looking at them (especially antique sailor-made ones of which the Whaling Museum in New Bedford has an extraordinary collection) I’ve never been completely compelled to buy one—until I saw this one! Accompanying it is a note explaining that it was found underneath the floor of the entry at 99 Fort Hill in Hingham, MA - a house, still standing, built in 1685! The wheel is bone and the handle pine with a wonderful, dark dry wood patina, and for me the combination of simple, thin carved handle and fancy star wheel is 100% perfect. One sees these star-shaped wheels on sailor made jagging wheels of the 19th century, as is the case with this one I presume. So lovely, and with a tiny hole in the handle for threading to hang.
4 3/4” l x 5/8” d and in very good condition, not fragile and the wheel rolls along smoothly.