Help! What is this?
 

My mother-in-law gave this to me and asked if I could fix it. It is broken, and missing a part, and I do not know what it is to look it up and find out how to fix it. Can anyone help me out?

I don't have a clue. Ask her what it is or what is it used for.

Looks like a mini clothes dryer to me. Good for dish towels, etc. Don't know the scale, of course, but I have seen items like that for that purpose.

I was going to say the same thing. They were hung on the wall and folded up, like an umbrella, when not in use.

I feel like I've been in the "way-back machine"! Clothes dryer and my grandmother's hung on the wall by the wood stove.

similar one.... http://www.icollector.com/Antique-Wo...Dryer_i9734138
more like it....http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Rust...item3cc8f2c911
and ...http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...+clothes+dryer

I think it hangs over and is fastened to a door. Then you have the prongs of wood to hang things on.

The one we had was a little different, but it was attached to the end of the cabinet by the sink and was used to hang dishcloths and dishtowels to dry.

I also think it is to hold dish towels, but it looks like something out of the "Edward Scissorhands" movie. LOL. :)

I think it hangs over the door to hang dish towels,etc. on.

It is to hang clothes on. My mom has one that she said her mother used. It is actually pretty good sized the arms/spokes on ours are about 36" long. We have it hanging on the wall and have quilts on it. We currently only have 2 as some were taken down to be used elsewhere and not hung back up yet.
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When I lived on the farm we had one on the wall near the wood stove in the kitchen to hang towels on or mittens and gloves.

I'm sure that's it!

i HAVE ONE THAT IS SIMILAR. iT'S A DRYER. ATTATCHES TO THE WALL AND COLLAPSES WHEN NOT BEING USED.
PRETTY OLD!

It is a mini clothes hanger for dish towels etc.

It looks like a clothes hoist to me.

Well you didn't say how big it is so I think its a dryer. I have one that looks very much like this picture. IF that is what it is the smaller part is put on the wall. the arms will hold undies or something light. I use mine in the kitchen as its much smaller than what this appears to be. Good luck.

I agree with everyone. I had my engineer/companion gaze upon it and he agreed. Everyone who recognised it has dated themselves!! LOL

OMG! DH and I have been antiquing for quite some time and I am always looking for one of those! I want one just like it because we used to have one hanging in the kitchen growing up. I am wanting one close to my machine to hang fabric strips on. Have very little space for things and one of these racks would come in so handy on the wall. Jealous of every one of you who has one. Don't want a new-fangled plastic one. I want one like I grew up with. So, we keep on trekking to those antique places, farms, and country garage sales.

I have a one in my laundry room. Its used to hang small items, hand towels etc to dry.

I have also seen them used to hang bundles of herbs on to dry.

A garden trellis maybe?!

I have 2 of these, one small that I use to hang towels and one larger one that I put in a storage closet and dry my herbs and flowers on it.

I think its a Drying rack

That's what it is.I have one.My DH collects "old junk",sorry treasures.LOL

Grandma had one in her laundry room. The prongs came out of a box attached to the wall, so you could air dry stuff. When you were done, the prongs folded back down and out of the way.

yep...THIS IS IT!

I also think that it is a mini dryer possible used for dish towels

It is an old dryer rack, I use mine for hanging strips or binding on when I cut them out

It is indeed an "antique" clothes/towel dryer. The smaller part attaches to the wall & the "spokes" will drop down flat against the wall. Lift them up and they will "lock" into place. I have one in my bathroom - hang bras to dry on it.