Q:I can't identify a kitchen utensil I found in my grandmother's house. It has a metal loop handle that can be hung from a hook. Attached to the other end of the handle is a hotpad-size piece of chain mail-a series of small nickel-plated iron rings linked together. What was it used for?

A:You have a "pot scrubber," also called a "pot chain." It was used in some parts of the country more than others. The end of the handle could also be handy for scrapping stubborn burnt food off the bottom of a frying pan. Pot scrubbers like yours were manufactured by several companies between the 1870s and 1930s. They sell for $30 and up if they're in decent shape. But beware: similar new scrubbers made to be used have appeared on the market since the 1980s.