Q: I’d like some information about a rotary egg beater I bought at an estate sale. It’s 5 1/2 inches long and has a wooden handle. The wheel is marked with the letters “A & J” in a triangle, “Pat. Oct. 9, 1923,” and “Made in U.S.A.” Can you tell me if it has any value?
A: The patent was issued to Charles E. Kail of Binghamton, N.Y., assignor to A & J Manufacturing Co. of Binghamton. Kail’s patent was for “new and useful improvements in egg beaters.” He claimed his design made eggbeaters more durable and less expensive to manufacture. A & J Manufacturing Co., founded in 1909, was bought by the Edward Katzinger Co. in 1929. Your eggbeater was made in the 1920s. Value today: $25 to $35.