The 1950’s house was a scientific
triumph, designed in a laboratory and tested on inhabitants of all
ages before being built for the masses. Never had homes been so
thoroughly contemporary, with antiques and period styles entirely
banished. This video explores the interior decor of that decade.
Explore the
Characteristics of Mid-Century Modern Architecture, one of the most
influential styles of the 20th century. Known for its clean lines,
flat planes, large glass walls, natural materials, and strong
indoor–outdoor connection, Mid-Century Modern design shaped the way
people think about modern living. Click on the
title to view.
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THE ANTIQUES ALMANAC
"Christmas in America"
COMING IN
December
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provided with each article.
The morning of December 17, 1903 dawned bright with a
strong chill in the air. The wind hit 25 miles per hour
over the dunes at Kill Devil Hills, dangerous conditions
for flying a prototype aircraft. The Wright Brothers of
Dayton, Ohio, dressed in coats and ties to add a touch
of private ceremony for an event that would alter the
world. To learn more read "The
Dream of Flight."
Toast,
Anyone? by Bob Brooke
Early
electric toasters seemed a bit dangerous looking and not at all
sleek like the modern toasters of today. Indeed, those early
toasters were mighty strange looking but to the people in the early
20th century, they were a godsend. No longer did they have to hold a
slice of bread over an open flame or hot stovetop to toast it.
Humans had been eating bread for over 6,000 years and toasting it
over a fire for just as long.
But
with the arrival of wood and coal stoves in the 1880’s, people
needed a new toasting method. The very first toaster was an odd
looking gadget, consisting of a tin plate to which was attached four
triangular wire stands. The user placed a slice of bread within each
of the wire stands, forming a pyramid of sorts. Then the user placed
the device on a hot stove. The bread browned on one side at a time,
making it necessary for the user to turn the toast before it burned.
Fire
was the source of heat for toasting bread but the advent of
electricity led engineer Albert Marsh to create a nickel and
chromium composite called Nichrome in 1905. Toaster makers could
easily shape this substance into wires or strips, plus it was low in
electrical conductivity. Within months, other inventors were using
Nichrome to produce electric toasters.
Original electric toasters consisted of a heating element and a
stationary wire frame to hold the toast in place. Most were mounted
on a porcelain base and posed a burn hazard to those charged with
making breakfast. Toaster manufacturers in the 1920s added a
protective case and a variety of clever mechanisms to automatically
turn the bread for easy toasting on both sides.
There
were five different toaster styles—the Turnover, the Flopper, the
Swinger, the Sweetheart, and the Pop Up.
Popular from the mid-1920s until the early 1930s, the Turnover
featured a spring-loaded door on either side that hinged down. Each
door held a slice of bread. When one side of the bread was toasted,
the operator opened each door to let the partially toasted bread
drop down, giving the non-toasted side access to the heating element
when the door was shut again. People places this toaster right on
the breakfast due to its manual operation. The diligent person in
charge of toast had to make sure to turn the toast before it burned.
Each
manufacturer attempted to create a slightly new design that did
something the others could not. From this crazed period of
innovation came designs and mechanisms like the Flopper. The Flopper
featured metal doors with a fancy pierced design that also hinged on
the bottom which formed an “A” when closed. When the toast was done,
the operator opened the side doors, and the toast “flopped” out.
Swingers featured a swinging basket with a two-sided metal wire
enclosure that held the bread slices. Users turned a knob to flip
the slice of bread to the other side. It also branded the toast with
a distinctive pattern, making it more attractive for the breakfast
table. The first four-slice toaster was a swinger. It was so
expensive that manufacturers offered convenient payment plans so
consumers could afford it.
The
Sweetheart worked by pressing two buttons located on the base of the
toaster. The buttons controlled each side of the toaster. Depressing
the buttons would swing the baskets on each side of the toaster out
at a 90-degree angle, so the user could either place the bread in or
remove the toast. Releasing the button allowed the basket to swing
back into place against the unit. Each additional push of the
buttons rotated the bread slices in the opposite direction to toast
both sides.
In 1919, Minneapolis resident Charles P. Strite was working at the
Waters-Genter Company plant in Stillwater. The factory’s cafeteria
often served burnt
toast. This inspired him to create a toaster that would toast bread
automatically with minimal human intervention. He called his device
the Toastmaster, for which he received a patent in 1921. The
Toastmaster had heating elements that could toast both sides of a
slice of bread at the same time. The device also had a timer that
would turn off the heat and a spring that would eject the toast,
eliminating the chance of burning. Strite’s invention found its way
into restaurants immediately. By 1926, he introduced a home version
with a variable timer that allowed the user to adjust the desired
lightness or darkness of their toast.
Prior to 1926, manufacturers originally marketed and sold pop-up or
automatic toasters to restaurants. They were a luxury for most
families; so most manufacturers continued selling manual toasters
for home well into the 1950s.
No antiques or collectibles
are sold on this site.
How to Recognize and
Refinish Antiques for Pleasure and Profit
Have
you ever bought an antique or collectible that was less than perfect and
needed some TLC? Bob's new book offers tips and step-by- step
instructions for simple maintenance and restoration of common antiques.
Read an
Excerpt
Auction News
Get up to the minute news of antiques auctions
around the country and the world.
Early
electric toasters seemed a bit dangerous looking and not at all
sleek like the modern toasters of today. Indeed, those early
toasters were mighty strange looking but to the people in the early
20th century, they were a godsend. No longer did they have to hold a
slice of bread over an open flame or hot stovetop to toast it.
Humans had been eating bread for over 6,000 years and toasting it
over a fire for just as long. 
But
with the arrival of wood and coal stoves in the 1880’s, people
needed a new toasting method. The very first toaster was an odd
looking gadget, consisting of a tin plate to which was attached four
triangular wire stands. The user placed a slice of bread within each
of the wire stands, forming a pyramid of sorts. Then the user placed
the device on a hot stove. The bread browned on one side at a time,
making it necessary for the user to turn the toast before it burned.
Fire
was the source of heat for toasting bread but the advent of
electricity led engineer Albert Marsh to create a nickel and
chromium composite called Nichrome in 1905. Toaster makers could
easily shape this substance into wires or strips, plus it was low in
electrical conductivity. Within months, other inventors were using
Nichrome to produce electric toasters.
There
were five different toaster styles—the Turnover, the Flopper, the
Swinger, the Sweetheart, and the Pop Up.
Each
manufacturer attempted to create a slightly new design that did
something the others could not. From this crazed period of
innovation came designs and mechanisms like the Flopper. The Flopper
featured metal doors with a fancy pierced design that also hinged on
the bottom which formed an “A” when closed. When the toast was done,
the operator opened the side doors, and the toast “flopped” out.
The
Sweetheart worked by pressing two buttons located on the base of the
toaster. The buttons controlled each side of the toaster. Depressing
the buttons would swing the baskets on each side of the toaster out
at a 90-degree angle, so the user could either place the bread in or
remove the toast. Releasing the button allowed the basket to swing
back into place against the unit. Each additional push of the
buttons rotated the bread slices in the opposite direction to toast
both sides.
urnt
toast. This inspired him to create a toaster that would toast bread
automatically with minimal human intervention. He called his device
the Toastmaster, for which he received a patent in 1921. The
Toastmaster had heating elements that could toast both sides of a
slice of bread at the same time. The device also had a timer that
would turn off the heat and a spring that would eject the toast,
eliminating the chance of burning. Strite’s invention found its way
into restaurants immediately. By 1926, he introduced a home version
with a variable timer that allowed the user to adjust the desired
lightness or darkness of their toast.
