What is this on a 1932 Buick?

[Fossil]

Ran across an ad for a 1932 Buick 67 and in one of the photos under the car, attached to the transmission is what appears to be some kind of vacuum canister. What is it for? Vacuum assisted clutch? 

 

[Oregon Desert model 45]

Wizard control

[37_Roadmaster_C]

1 minute ago, Oregon Desert model 45 said:

Wizard control

Please explain....

[Oregon Desert model 45]

 Buick’s free-wheeling clutch mechanism that allowed the car to coast out of gear, when you took your foot off the gas pedal. Not real popular, and perhaps problematical.

[1939_Buick]

Look here --->https://forums.aaca.org/topic/320972-function-of-this-1932-part-on-344cid/

 

and here ---->https://www.autoweek.com/news/a2101301/1932-buick-model-56-business-coupe-more-wizardry-less-cost/

[chuckfmtexas]

The canister holds vacuum to aid in shifting the car with a red round pedal on the floorboard. It was designed to help women drive the car.

[Str8-8-Dave]

The idea was to allow clutch-less shifts once the car was rolling.   Once the car was rolling in low gear you could step on the red pedal and then make shifts up and down until you stopped at which point you had to use the clutch to get the car rolling again.  It was very troublesome and as others have indicated, commonly removed.