Toaster

Object Name:

Toaster

Object ID:

1989.048.01

Creator:

Edison Electric Appliance CompanyManufacturer

Place of Origin:

Ontario, CA

Date:

1930-1940

Description:

Toaster, electric, 1930s. Steel, plastic, textile, and mica. Rectangular body with slanted opposite sides. Made primarily of chrome-plated steel. Rectangular steel base, sheet-metal with slanted sides. At corners, plastic riveted feet on inside extend slightly beyond bottom edge. Double-curved, scalloped bottom edge with high point at center. Ends roughly triangular with symmetrical perforated design. Two mushroom-shape, flat-top plastic thumb knobs on each with faceted edge. Knobs on either end connected to flat side panel that has symmetrical perforated decorations. Panels on sides have top and bottom lip that turns inward and slightly raised lips along edges. Gap in side lips at top ends. Behind side panel are six vertical wires, evenly spaced from left to right. On each side, wires have small inward bend at their bottoms to clear rotating bottom edge of doors on each side. Same configuration on opposite side of toaster. Between vertical wires are two mica panels with small notches on their edges, riveted together horizontally at their mid-points. Mica panels also riveted to supports at very top and bottom. Each of two panels has flat conducting wire wrapped around panels, spirals upward to top. Wire engages in small, square slots on side of each of two panels. At top, wire extends from one panel to the other, then wrapped in similar pattern from top to bottom. On one side of body, half of an oval shield protrudes from end. Inside oval, two flat electrical blades that protrude from side of body. Plug fastens over the flat blades. On one end of base, stamped in script: "Hotpoint". Bottom end of "t" curls back under word. Stamped into rectangle with clipped corners on bottom surface: "CAT. NO. 115 T17 W 550 B. 110 / PAT'D. FEB 22 1910 JULY 28, 14 / EDISON ELECTRIC APPLIANCE CO. INC. / CHICAGO MADE IN U. S. A. ONTARIO, CAL." Electric cord with plastic two-blade plug for 110 voltage, brass blades. Molded plastic body. Bottom edge where blades are, molded across top: "HATFIELD". Between blades: "H". Below blades: "PAT. APPL'D. FOR". Cloth-covered black electrical cord with white or off-white alternating black and white spiral pattern. At female end, plastic plug with spring that is detached from plug and is sliding on wire. U-shaped metal clips holding two pieces of plug together. Two grooved pieces behind each hole at end of plug that go around blade of toaster body. Plugs rectangular with rounded sides. Back of plug slightly enlarged. Lettering on each one: "5 A 250 V. / 10 A 125 V. / C-H". Remnants of red paper tag on cord, partially come apart. Flat metal piece inside tag to secure around cord.

Material:

Metal
Textile
Plastic
Mica
Steel

Dimensions:

H-8 W-8 D-5.4 inches

Provenance:

From the Gen. Aquila Davis house in Contoocook, NH. Probably used by Margaret Davis, who sold the house and contents in 1989. Margaret Davis gave the toaster to Lena Ball.

Credit Line:

Gift of Lena Ball

People:

Davis, Margaret (1916-2009)

Subjects:

Toasters