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The scoop display at the Udder Choice shows the quest to dip ice cream with
Inside Scoop On Ice Cream Dipp
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.)
When Dolley Madison, wife of
President Janies Madison, served
ice cream at the White House,
the frozen treat’s popularity
soared. But dipping mounds of
America’s favorite frozen treat is
no easy feat and one that cre
ates a constant flux of new, im
proved appliances to scoop with
ease.
The quest has produced an
amazing array of styles, dubbed
“ice cream dippers” or “scoops.”
Collectors vie to own the most
unusual, the oldest, and the most
extensive collection.
There is even an organization
for ice cream collectibles called
The Ice Screamers, who special
ize in collecting all sorts of ice
cream parlor and soda fountain
memorabilia.
The Udder Choice, 1812 W.
Main St., Ephrata, offers more
than scrumptious ice cream. The
restaurant displays an amazing
array of ice cream-related memo
rabilia, from vintage signs to
hundreds of ice cream dippers.
The dippers are displayed
throughout the bam-like struc
ture. Some are attached to wood
en beams and posts, but the most
valuable dippers are kept inside
a glass-enclosed case. Each of the
dippers is neatly labeled with the
approximate year it was made.
According to Jay Mark, who
maintains a Website on ice
cream dippers, the first patent
for a mechanical ice cream scoop
was awarded in 1878 to William
Clewell, Reading. More than 250
patents followed for devices to
dish a measured amount of ice
cream before World War 11.
Most of the 19th century
scoops were conical, with an in
side blade that turned to scrape
Lancaster Far^mg
the frozen treat from the walls of
the bowl.
Scoops came in specialty
shapes such as ja flat, rectangular
shape to make an ice cream
sandwich; heartshapes; and later
a ball shape to fill an ice cream
cone.
Raymond Gilchrist began
manufacturing dippers about
This heart-shaped scoop
is one of the most valuable
collector’s item.
1907. His company grew to be
come the largest makers of
scoops. The Gilchirst No. 33 Pyr
amid Disher was patented in
1910 and was designed to serve
ice cream in a fancy shape on a
plate.
The nickel-over-brass IcyPi
disher was created by James De
naro, an ice cream manufacture.
In the mid-19205, he began mak
ing a three-sided wafer “box” to
hold a square of ice cream for his
novel ice cream sandwich.
Udder Choice owners Bill and
Alice Kay Ulrich say that their
collection has been amassed
mostly by Bill, frequently
through e-Bay auctions.
Ulrich also said individual dip
pers are for sale for a price, of
course.
The most valuable dipper in
his collection, according to Ul
rich, isn’t the oldest but a 1925
heart-shaped dipper made by
Manos Novelty Company.
“Only 500 were made. I saw a
similar one sell for thosands,” Ul
rich said.
But those prices are rare.
According to Marks’ Website,
most dippers range in value from
$25 to $2OO.
To leam more about ice cream
dippers, check out the book, “Ice
Cream Dippers,” published by
Wayne Smith in 1986. He offers
an intriguing illustrated history
of these unique appliances. Smith
is considered to be a national ex
pert on dippers.
The Website www.icecreamer
s.com includes information about
joining the Ice Screamers, a lead
ing organization for ice cream
collectibles. The Ice Screamers
conduct annual conventions, and
this year’s event is scheduled
Sept.ll-13 at the Best Western
Eden Resort Inn, Lancaster.
To register, contact Tom and
Shirley Collins, (703) 560-4714 or
e-mail: tomcoll@starpower.net
Clesttes^
i
Owners Bill and Alice Kay Ulrich stand in the loft of the
bam-like structure and overlook their newly constructed
5,000 square-foot restaurant, The Udder Choice, 1812 W.
Main St., Ephrata.
ease.
ers
Each scoop is individually labeled by approximate year.
Mystery Instrument Identified
Tom Avon recognized this mysterious instrument
pictured in the July sth issue on page 817. Aven,
who is from Bristol, Va., said that when he was five
and six years old, he remembers going with his fami
ly to a Montgomery Ward store in Tenn. The store’s
hardware department had an instrument Just like the
one pictured. On the counter were different sizes of
wire. This instrument was used to wrap the wire a
customer ordered. The wire threaded through the
center of the counter, and was handcranked to wrap
around the extended arms. A small thumbscrew in
the back was tightened to hold the wire in position.
When the right amount of wire was wrapped, the
screw was loosened, and the fan collapsed to enable
the clerk to remove the section of wire and tie it to
gether neatly for the customer. Aven said the photo
brought back a good memory of playing with the in
strument while waiting on his parents.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 19, 2003-B2
All photos by
Andy Andrews, editor
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