Here are a few mangle boards from my personal collection that are for sale or trade. For more information, please write to me at
Unless otherwise stated, all my mangle boards are in their original condition, with the original handle and original paint. It was not uncommon for a handle to break during use, and it was then replaced by a new handle, whose wood species, carving and painting differed from the old one. Many mangle boards were also repainted when they were no longer in use, to make them more decorative. What interests me about mangle boards is the combination of useful and pleasant, function and aesthetics. A mangle board without marks of use reminds me of a poorly designed tool or a poorly chosen gift.
If you are interested in a mangle board, contact me
1. Denmark, c. 1830, 62 x 15 cm. Visually striking mangle board decorated with three deeply carved flowers in rosettes. The horse is very long, occupying almost half the mangle board, and still has its original black paint with white weights. Minor restoration on the upper left corner. $350
2. Sweden, c. 1850, 61 x 15 cm. Charming mangle board painted with a beautiful decoration of flower bouquets and bunches of fruit. The horse is refined but perfectly recognizable, in the Gustavian style. With its original paint and a patina of use. $425
3. Sweden, c. 1750, 88 x 12 cm. Well-balanced mangle board carved from a single piece of wood, completely covered in zigzags, leaving not a single centimetre uncarved. Pleasant honey-coloured patina. $125
4. Norway, 1867, 76 x 12 cm. This mangle board harks back to the Viking aesthetic found on the weapons and graves of that conquering people. It is decorated with a large serpent whose tail forms long interlaced patterns and which appears to be about to swallow itself (ouroboros). Two other serpents surround the date and face each other as if about to fight. A few traces of paint. Varnished. $250
5. Sweden, c. 1750, 61 x 15 cm. This mangle board is of a very old design, dating back to the time when it was a tool rather than a token of love. It has seen heavy use, holds together without a single nail, and has a handle reminiscent of those on clothes irons. $75
6. Denmark, c. 1900, 56 x 14 cm. This mangle board is decorated with two rosettes and a horse reduced to its essential features. $125
7. Denmark, c. 1880, 66 x 16 cm. Rustic mangle board showing signs of long use. $75
8. Norway, 1831, 58 x 11 cm. Fine mangle board with a colour scheme that catches the eye from afar. Against a mustard-yellow background, the crimson floral motif stands out sharply. The horse, in the same red, is covered with black lines and has a small point at the top of its forehead representing the crown of the Norwegian heraldic lion. The mangle board has been repainted. With its roller. $950
9. Norway, first half of the 18th century, 64 x 13 cm. Fine antique mangle board that has been used for a long time. The colours are original. The rare baroque handle in the form of a coiled spiral is unusual. $450
10. Norway, 1755, 75 x 11 cm. This mangle board has seen heavy use and is decorated with floral motifs and two hearts. The handle has a few breaks and has been re-glued. $90
11. Norway, c. 1780, 73 x 13 cm. The board is covered with various geometric motifs, as well as a couple standing before a church with a horse. The man holds a long pipe and the woman a glass of alcohol. The handle has a few breaks and has been re-glued. $125
12. Norway, 1858, 81 x 12 cm. Very fine board with an extraordinary handle representing a large lion with its mouth open, sharp teeth, tongue extended, and elongated, menacing eyes. It wears a crown atop its head — that of the Norwegian heraldic coat of arms. The board has beautiful complementary colours, with a stylised floral motif topped by a crown. It is something of a miracle that neither the crown nor the teeth have been broken. $2,000
13. Norway, c. 1780, 70 x 11 cm. Long, slender board with six rosettes, each one different. The paint is original and bears witness to long use. Part of the rear legs was broken in the past and repaired with a wrought-iron nail. $300
14. Denmark, dated 1766, 64 x 14 cm. Fine, highly graphic mangle board whose radiating motif draws the eye. It bears old traces of polychromy, partially worn away by intensive use. The board has been restored and reinforced with a wooden panel on the underside. $175
15. Sweden, dated "65" (probably 1865), 69 x 13 cm. The handle appears to represent a dog, a rare animal. It is a symbol of fidelity and conjugal virtue. $250
16. Norway, 1883, 83 x 10 cm. Magnificent mangle board with elegant, almost aerodynamic lines. The handle is positioned near the centre and the board is curved. It sits well in the hand, is perfectly balanced, and should therefore be very effective in use. The geometric motifs are finely carved and the handle is ornate. $125
17. Germany, c. 1850, 55 x 10 cm. Mangle board with a large, attractive floral motif carved in bas-relief. Old traces of glue on the back. $100
18. Germany, c. 1900, 70 x 8 cm. Both utilitarian and highly elegant mangle board, which would have been used to soften linen fibres on large fabrics such as bed sheets. The end opposite the handle has been in contact with water, perhaps for stirring laundry. Varnished. $50
19. Norway, 1771, 70 x 13 cm. Pretty rustic mangle board of concave form, decorated with various geometric motifs, suns, stars, and crossed arrows. The wood is very pale, with several knots. $125
20. Norway, 1689, 73 x 13 cm. Mangle board of great antiquity, simple but very practical to use, as was always the case at the time. The handle is wide, fits well in the hand, and a second handle at the far end makes it easy to apply pressure to the laundry. Decorated with numerous symmetrical lines. $100
21. Norway, 1723, 66 x 8 cm. This mangle board is a magnificent family record, as it gives, in addition to the year of marriage (1723), the birth year (as well as the month and day) of each of the children: 1725, 1728, 1732, 1734, and 1736. The handle has been broken and poorly re-glued. $60
22. Denmark, 1803, 59 x 12 cm. The motifs on the mangle board are fairly rustic, and the paint is original. The horse was probably replaced but has been used. It was not uncommon for a handle to break in use and then be replaced with another. $250
23. Germany, c. 1850, 75 x 15 cm. Mangle board carved from a very light but sturdy wood, decorated with an unusual motif of adjoining circles. The handle extends onto the mangle board like a washing beetle (considerably thicker in Germany than in Scandinavia) and appears to be covered with a spider's web. $125
24. Sweden, 1858, 58 x 20 cm. Superb linen-softening knife ("scutching knife") decorated with a large garland of flowers at the end of which perches a bird, holding a small twig in its beak and apparently about to build a nest. Fine carved decorations around the handle, and the upper section is pierced. The paint is original and there is a patina of use. $450
25. Sweden, 1898, 59 x 15 cm. Linen-softening knife ("scutching knife") decorated with various flowers. The tip of the knife has an old break. $75
26. Sweden, 1901, 62 x 12 cm. This linen-softening knife ("scutching knife") is decorated with three pierced hearts and a horse skilfully carved on the handle. It retains its original paint in contrasting tones. $350
27. Sweden, 1844, 58 x 14 cm. Linen-softening knife ("scutching knife") of unusual form, showing a long patina of use. Decorated with various floral motifs. The paint is original. $90
To see sold mangle boards, it's here: http://mangleboard.com/index.php/sold-mangle-boards.html