That’s an old-fashioned manual meat grinder (also called a hand-crank meat mincer).
🔧 What it is
It’s a clamp-on kitchen tool — this one appears to be an older metal model branded “ELMA.” It attaches to the edge of a table or countertop using the screw clamp at the bottom.
🥩 What it’s used for
It was used to:
- Grind meat (beef, pork, chicken)
- Make sausage
- Grind fat for recipes
- Sometimes grind nuts or vegetables
⚙️ How it works
- Meat is placed into the top funnel.
- Turning the wooden-handled crank rotates an internal screw (auger).
- The meat is pushed through a perforated metal plate at the front.
- Ground meat comes out in strands.
Before electric food processors became common, these were standard in home kitchens.
🕰 Why younger people might not recognize it
Modern kitchens use:
- Electric meat grinders
- Food processors
- Pre-ground meat from stores
So hand-crank versions like this are now mostly:
- Vintage kitchen collectibles
- Still used by some home sausage makers
- Found in antique shops
If you’d like, I can also explain how to tell whether it’s safe to use again or just decorative.
