Mystery Churn

[Ramswin]

Hi.
I am a green horn to all this collecting stuff and could use some identification help.
I got an odd looking churn at an auction the other day and I can't seem to find any info on it.
It says

"Hamilton Churn
patd. 6 20 1908
mfd. byThe Constantine novelty co.
Constantine Mich"

Thanks in advance for helping a new guy out.

Steve

 

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[Hogman]

What is inside the churn?

 

[Ramswin]

Here's a picture of the inside.

 

[lostcauses]

looks to be a butter churn missing the paddles.
edited to add
May not have had paddles as I can find some other wood versions with out them.

 

[Hogman]

Does the drain whole on the bottom look like it was original?

 

[Hogman]

May be an ice cream churn that someone converted for something else.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

butter churn?

 

[Hogman]

These are close.

http://dairyantiques.com/Metal_Butter_Churns.html

 

[Ramswin]

The drain hole on the bottom does look like it was original.
Has anyone ever heard of The Hamilton brand churn before?
Or the Constantine Novelty Company?
I can't seem to find anything about them.

Thanks

 

[Bramblefind]

I did find this reference to the company in The History of St. Joseph County, Michigan (1911) (last paragraph)-

 

[Ramswin]

WOW!
That's pretty impressive.
I would have never found that.
I know it's not much but its at least something that tells me that this is probably pretty old.
Thanks a ton for everybody's efforts.

 

[taz42o]

Heres the patent.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=Kxd-AAAAEBAJ&printsec=drawing&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[Ramswin]

You people are truly amazing.

Thanks again.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

you arent missing any paddles...it is a butter churn...what you seem to be missing is the crank handle on the top
http://www.bargainjohn.com/images/W029BButterChurn1.jpg

 

[elee]

The churn is missing the handle, but for a reason. Some industious person has converted it to belt drive. I bet that thing really cranked out the butter when you hooked it up to an old Maytag motor! The hole in the bottom is for draining out the liquid after the butter has solidified. Cool churn!
Elee