Simmons Wonder Ice Cream Maker

Q: I have a Simmons Wonder ice cream maker that has been in my family for years. It makes one cup of ice cream. In 1924, when my mother was 6 years old, she was run over by a Model T and was in a body cast for a few weeks. During her recovery, her grandmother made ice cream for her in this ice cream maker. Can you tell me anything about it?

A: Edward Simmons was a hardware salesman who started his own wholesale hardware company in St. Louis in 1872. The company was incorporated as Simmons Hardware Co. in 1874. Simmons sold thousands of tools and hardware items through catalog sales and was the first to issue catalogs with color photos. Wonder was one of the lines carried by the company. Its best-known brand was Keen Kutter, a name still in use. Simmons Hardware was bought by A.F. Shapleigh Hardware Co. in 1940. The value of your ice cream maker is about $200.