A paint mill ground the pigment for oil based paint. This item usually resides in the Hardware Store here at Charlton Park and was discovered by volunteer John Foley. The pigment would be placed in the reservoir and ground by turning the handle. The ground pigments would be pressed out of the sides and scraped by the scraper, causing the pigments to fall in a regulated place. The mill was created by J.A. Berrill & Sons, New York, c. 1860 when the patent was granted (to see patent, click here). Berrill took an early model 
and improved it by keeping the pigment from flying out at high speeds. J.A. Berrill made his home, and had his factory, in Waterville, New York. It was an important industry in Waterville, and employed many in the town. A similar paint mill was listed for sale in the 1895 Montgomery Ward & Co. Spring & Summer catalog for $7.50!
Other Sources:
http://oneida.nygenweb.net/misc/wager/ch44.html
http://bit.ly/aylonc – Patent on Google
June 24, 2010
Artifact Archive – Paint Mill
Posted by charltonpark under Collections | Tags: Charlton Park, J.A. Berrill & Sons, oil, paint, paint mill, pigment |[3] Comments
Historic Charlton Park's Blog 
July 5, 2012 at 1:32 pm
What would something like this sell for now?
July 6, 2012 at 8:36 am
That’s a good question and not something that is easily determined. Typically, eBay is a good source for what people are willing to pay. There is a difference between what an item is worth and what people will pay for it. If your item has a good story behind it and you know where it came from, it would likely be worth more for historical value and not for monetary value with good provenance. Shifts in the antique market make valuations very difficult, so I would suggest approaching an appraiser in your area. Good luck!
February 12, 2020 at 12:01 am
I HAVE A PAINT MILL THAT HAS BEEN IN A SIGN BUSINESS SINCE 1900
IT HAS BEEN PASSED ON OVER THE YEARS I HAVE HAD IT FOR 64 YEARS AND USED IT A LOT DURING THE 1950-60’S THE SAME SIGN BUSINESS HAS CHANGED OWNERS ONLY 4 TIMES AND I AM THE LAST OWNER ( HAND SIGNS HAVE BECOME A THING OF THE PAST )
I ALWAYS WONDERED IF MANY OF THESE PAINT MILLS STILL EXISTED
IT IS STILL IN GOOD CONDITION & IT COULD STILL MIX PAINT
R.W. TOOWOOMBA AUST.