This vintage Foley spring-loaded food chopper is a mid-20th century hand kitchen tool with three stainless steel blades, a metal spring mechanism, and a turquoise painted wooden handle.
I like this one because it still works as intended and looks unmistakably vintage without being too worn to enjoy. The turquoise handle gives it a strong period kitchen look, while the scratches, small finish marks, and aged metal tell you it was actually used.
It would fit nicely with vintage kitchen tools, old cooking utensils, farmhouse kitchen pieces, or a working collection of hand-operated gadgets.
Details
-
Item: Foley spring-loaded food chopper
-
Item Type: Manual three-blade food chopper
-
Era: Mid-20th century, likely 1940s to 1960s
-
Materials: Metal frame, stainless steel blades, spring mechanism, painted wooden handle
-
Color: Turquoise or aqua handle with silver-tone metal
-
Maker and Mark: Foley identification provided in research notes. Shaft is stamped with stainless blade wording and U.S. Patent No. 2,113,085
-
Pattern or Model: Three-blade spring-loaded food chopper
-
Style: Mid-century American kitchen utensil
-
Dimensions: Approximately 8 inches long. Wooden handle approximately 4 inches long and 3/4 inch diameter at the end.
-
Special Features: Spring-loaded action, three blades, working mechanism, turquoise painted wooden handle, patent-marked shaft
Condition Grade: Good
Positives
-
Graded Good: This vintage chopper is complete, usable, and the spring-loaded mechanism works.
- All three blades are present and the internal spring mechanism is intact.
- The turquoise wooden handle remains firmly attached and gives the piece much of its vintage character.
- The stamped patent and blade information remains visible on the metal shaft.
Issues / Wear
- The turquoise handle has scratches, dark marks, small finish losses, and general rubbing from age and use. I consider this honest working wear rather than distracting damage.
- The metal surfaces show scratches, dulling, spotting, discoloration, and areas of oxidation consistent with an older kitchen utensil.
- The blades and cross pieces have visible surface wear. The piece has not been polished or restored.
Condition Grade Key
-
Near Fine: Almost perfect. Very minor signs of age only.
-
Very Good: Shows light use. Sound and attractive with minor flaws.
-
Good: Complete and intact. Noticeable wear consistent with age and use.
-
Fair: Shows significant wear. Readable or usable but clearly used.
Collector's Notes
Spring-loaded choppers were a simple way to chop nuts, vegetables, and other foods directly in a bowl before electric countertop appliances became standard.
This one would suit a collector of vintage kitchen utensils, Foley tools, old cooking gadgets, or colorful mid-century kitchen pieces.
The turquoise wooden handle is what catches my eye here. It gives an otherwise practical metal tool a very recognizable period look.
I would leave the age marks alone. They suit a working kitchen tool that has already had a long life.
Shipping + Trust (Reading Vintage standards)
∙[Photo-verified condition], no surprises
∙Packed with our protective packaging standard
∙Ships in 1 business day
∙Free Shipping on $35+ (U.S. only)
Disclaimer
All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece, please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.
I do my best to capture colors accurately, but your monitor or device screen may display colors slightly differently from the actual item.
Please Note:
These pieces come from estate collections and have been surface cleaned. You may wish to perform additional cleaning depending on your preference.
How Reading Vintage sources and grades every piece
