Anchor Brand by Lovell Manufacturing

Q I’m curious about the history of an old Anchor Brand wringer I have. It’s made of wood and has two large metal ”screws” on top and a metal crank handle. The wringer is about 16 1/2 inches high and 26 inches wide. There is a lot of printing on it including ”Enclosed cog wheels, patented May 5th, 1896, prevents soiling of the clothes.”

A Hand-cranked clothes wringers that could be clamped onto a wash basin or washing machine were first made in the 1840s and were in common use until automatic washers with spin cycles became popular in the 1950s. Anchor Brand was made by Lovell Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania, probably beginning in the 1880s. The company also made mouse traps, rat traps, ball bearings, bed springs, and other items. Several washing machine manufacturers used Anchor Brand wringers. The Lovell factory is no longer manufacturing. It has been remodeled and is now known as Lovell Place and includes luxury apartments.