51/1294

Nothing is known about the origin of this ratchet hanger with eight teeth. It was used for suspending cooking utensils over an open hearth.

1 Ratchet: metal

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'The tubular upright is 2 feet 3.75 inches long. The hook is pointed and there is a knob from which the loop is suspended. The point of the loop is curled over. // The ratchet is 1 ft. 3.25 inches long, 2.6 inches wide and has eight teeth. The hook on the ratchet is 1.5 inches wide. // See 51/341 [52/341].', MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 52/341 – ‘‘Ratchet hangers were used for suspending cooking utensils over an open hearth. // The hanger was made up of an iron bar, curved at the top end, with a flat sheet iron ratchet attachment similar to a coarse saw. The hooked end of the upright passed over the wooden chimney bar. The lower end had a hook suspended from a loop or knob which caught in the teeth of the ratchet. The hanger could thus be set at varying distances above the fire. // The hook is a single piece of metal and is suspended from a knob. Some hangers are ornamented at the connection between the top of the ratchet and the upright. // Where the chimney was fitted with a pot crane a shorter hanger was generally used.', Originated from W. Wheeler esq. [Added by Tim Jerrome for the Further Afield project, 2024]