Q: We received this piece as a donation to our hospice thrift store and were wondering if you could identify it for us. It is made of cast iron and the word “Yankee” is embossed on the handle.

A: You have a cork press that was used to press corks to fit bottles of various sizes. Your cork press made corks in four different sizes. Cork presses like yours were used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by pharmacists to make corks to fit into medicine bottles. At the right place, this would sell for over $100.