Lake Stevens Historical Museum (Out of Many, One display)
Scandinavian Copper Ostkar (Cheese Vat)
This large (18″x29″) Scandinavian copper ostkar (cheese vat) dates from the late 1880s. This vat came from Sweden when the Al Peterson family immigrated to our area. It is said to have held all the family’s possessions. Vats like this were the workhorses of rural Swedish farmsteads, used for large-scale food production and daily chores.
The handles’ “dog-ear” or scrolled attachment style is a hallmark of European blacksmithing from the 1800s.
The vat’s original purpose was most likely for cheesemaking. Milk was heated in these vats over a fire to separate curds and whey. The wide, shallow shape allowed for even heating and easy stirring. In Swedish farm culture, these were also used for brewing beer, boiling laundry, or rendering fat. Similar vats were used to simmer large batches of fruit preserves or apple butter over a slow flame for hours.
Donated by Al Peterson. 1989.12.1
How it represents the community’s American experience:
This vat represents the early Swedish and Finnish immigrants who settled in our area and their hopes and dreams for a better life in America.
On display at the The Historic Grimm House, Wednesdays 3–7 p.m. It will also be featured in the They Came From Afar exhibit in our new museum that is currently under construction.
