Three sizes of this tabletop parer are known. Collectors have found numerous examples of these parers in Maine. The Maine parer is thought to be one of the first cast iron and wood models to be manufactured. The board has red paint with the wood pieces secured by mortise and tenon joints and square nails. A ring gear powers the drive and fork mechanisms providing a speed advantage. In this model with a 6.5 inch drive gear one rotation of the crank turns the apple 3.2 times. As the parer rotates the operator uses a hand-guided paring knife to remove the peel. |
