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An exceptional early 1900s Facile hand-cranked centrifuge tester for milk and cream analysis. This cast-iron laboratory instrument features four cylindrical testing tubes with glass measurement tubes, mounted on a cast metal head with decorative flanged details. The maker's name "Facile" is clearly visible on the cast iron components, alongside manufacturing details stamped into the handle.
The device operates via hand-crank mechanism attached to a wooden support table, allowing operators to spin samples at speed to separate and measure butterfat content—an essential quality-control tool for dairy operations and milk processors in the early twentieth century. The engineering is robust and purposeful, with all cast-iron components showing authentic patina and wear consistent with period use.
A scarce find for collectors of dairy history, scientific instruments, agricultural tools, or industrial Americana. The combination of working mechanism, cast-iron construction, and original maker's marks makes this a meaningful artifact of turn-of-the-century agricultural testing technology.
