Featured Artifact: Bottle Warmer

 This object from the Benton County Historical Society's collection had me fooled.

I first thought it was a lantern with holes to let out the light and a handle for carrying. 

Looking at it from the side, I could see a small container for fuel which seemed to confirm by guess.

Bottle warmer

But further investigation found a piece that didn't fit that hypothesis.  What was the cup for?

It turns out my guess was wrong.  According to the museum's records, the donor called this a baby bottle warmer.  The separate piece in the bottom is indeed for fuel.  The cup would be filled with water and placed in the top part of the outer cylinder.  Lighting the fuel would warm the water which could then be used to keep the contents of a baby bottle warm. 

By Martha Fraundorf, Volunteer for Benton County Historical Society, Philomath, Oregon