Peel

Dateca.1810-1840

MediumWrought iron

DimensionsOverall: 6 3/4 x 41 3/4 x 5/8in. (17.1 x 106 x 1.6cm)

Credit LineGift of Earl W. and Eleanor G. Sargent

Object number1977-112

DescriptionWrought iron peel with a long handle of rectangular section topped with a ram's-horn terminal. Handle, once forged integrally with the quadrangular blade, has been broken and reattached by three crude iron rivets.
Label TextWhile the simple peel, also known as a slice, might look like a gardening tool to modern eyes, it was the key implement to early American oven baking. With a long handle and sturdy blade, it was as useful for moving glowing hot coals within the oven as it was for putting in and removing foodstuffs. Peels like this one are the direct ancestors of those used today in most pizza restaurants.

Considering its robust construction and handy form, it's easy to see that a peel could hold a certain appeal for use in other tasks. Such may be the case with this once-fractured example, likely broken from use as a pry-bar. The handle was rejoined to the blade with three iron rivets, and it was pressed back into service.

Exhibition(s)