Another paint muller

We have already considered one of these former tools of the painter’s trade in A Paint Muller but, at Market Lavington Museum, we have another such item, larger and heavier.

It was used on a flat stone for grinding pigments to a smooth paste, ready for making hand mixed wagon paints.

The Gye’s business in Market Lavington, on White Street between Broadwell and the High Street crossroads, employed the Burnett brothers from Easterton. Bert was a blacksmith and farrier and Charlie, a wheelwright. See Wheelwright memories, Wheelwrighting and The Wheelwright at work – fitting a tyre. or type Burnett into the search box on the blog front page for even more information about these talented brothers and their family.

Up until the 1950s, their work was required for repairing farm carts and, no doubt, it was important to produce exactly the right shade of paint to suit the customer and to match the rest of the paintwork on a wagon being restored.