A milking stool is a small, low seat used by farm workers while milking cows, goats or sheep by hand. Most examples have a round, oval or rectangular seat set on three splayed legs, an arrangement that remains steady on the uneven floor of a cowshed or field, and some have a hand hole or short handle for carrying.
Milking stools were made across Britain, Europe and North America for centuries and are among the most characteristic pieces of vernacular furniture. They were typically produced by village carpenters or by farmers themselves, using whatever timber came to hand, such as elm, ash, oak, sycamore or beech, with legs driven through the seat and secured with wedges. Because they were cheap and hard working, few can be dated precisely, and most surviving examples belong to the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Collectors look for a thick, well-worn seat, pleasing proportions, legs with honest wear at the feet and a deep, dry patina built up through years of use. Painted surfaces and regional forms add interest. Today milking stools are used as side tables, plant stands, children's seats and fireside perches, bringing rustic warmth to kitchens and cottage interiors.
