Washing bat (banketre)

What is a washing bat?

A Norwegian banketre is a wooden hand tool used to beat textiles during washing and rinsing. It has a grip and a broader working part. In lye-based laundering, the cloth was rinsed and beaten over a stone or bench to remove the washing agent.

Not the same as a mangle board

A washing bat worked directly against the cloth. A mangle board was instead used with a round roller to roll and smooth textiles. Both can be decorated and occur among older Norwegian wooden objects, but their working methods differ. Decoration or a carved handle alone should not determine identification.

Household tool and folk art

Washing bats may carry carved initials, dates, geometric patterns or figurative decoration. KUBEN also describes them as betrothal gifts. Gift use is not established for every decorated example, however, and an inscribed date should be distinguished from a documented date of manufacture.

When assessing an example, photograph both faces, edges, grip and any repairs. Record wear on the working surface without treating it as proof of age by itself. Avoid assigning a carver or place of origin on the basis of a single motif.

See also mangle boards and our wooden objects category.

Sources

KUBEN on betrothal gifts and use and Store norske leksikon on banketre.