In the days of washing clothes in a wash tub, this plunger style agitator short-cut the process of scrubbing clothes by hand on a washboard. The wood handle is intact with the side handle to make the job easier of plunging the agitator up and down. I re-painted the metal with galvanized paint for aesthetic purposes. A fun piece of antique decor. I used it for display and door stop. 928-eight two one-4375. I go to Phoenix, Flagstaff and Prescott regularly and can meet up.