Skimmer, circa 1850

Cooks used flat sieves like this skimmer to remove foam that forms on the top of boiling liquids, or cream from the top of cooled whole milk. This skimmer consists of flattened sheet metal, pierced, and then riveted to a wrought-iron handle. Cooks kept the skimmer close-by, hanging it from a hook by the curve at the end of the handle.