When we were
building our house, we met often with the architect who modified the plans for
our house. We were happy with most of
the plans, except for the kitchen. For
some unknown reason, the architect kept erasing the lines on my kitchen
cabinets and making the cabinets extend to the ceiling.
I did not want that. I wanted a
space between the top of my cabinets and the ceiling for “something”. I didn’t know what, but something. A collection of plants? A collection of – what? I didn’t know then, but I got what I wanted.
What could I display on top of the cabinets? It didn’t take long until I was attracted to
the old enamel or porcelain ware that was white trimmed in red. I found many pieces at flea markets, garage
sales or antique shops. Of course, the
garage sales and flea markets had the most pieces at the lowest prices. And the dirtiest!
I found large
bowls, platters, a bucket, coffee pot, plates, ladle, to name a few. It was very easy to clean these pieces. I just used a little warm water, a very mild
cleaning product, a soft cloth and some TLC.
And voila! The dirt and grime and
rust just melted away to reveal a beautiful piece of kitchenware from decades
ago. The red-trimmed
ware went well with the color scheme of my kitchen since I had a lot of red in
it. But after a while, I just needed
“something” else.
One day while
antiquing, I came across an old toaster and I said, “That’s it.” And so began my collection of old toasters. Toasters were originally invented in Scotland
in 1893 and have continued to be improved over the years. The toaster is one of the most common
household appliances. Toasters have been refined over the years and are now included as one of the most elite food processors on most kitchen counters. Toasters may be taken for granted, but we probably use them daily.
I found toasters at garage sales for $.50; at flea markets (dirty, of course) for $1.00; at
the Thrift Shop on the base for $2.00.
At antique stores, it was a bit different. Those items were on consignment from a
vendor, so the price was often higher, yet not exorbitant.
All of the
toasters have the original cords and most do work, although I doubt I’d try to
make toast in them today. None of the
toasters are alike. Each one is
different and most have been identified by either the logo on the side, or by
the brand name on the bottom of the toaster.
Most are American, but some are British made.
My favorite is
the one slice toaster that “pops” the piece of bread up when it is
finished. It reminds me of the TV show,
“I Love Lucy”, where Lucy is making Ricky breakfast. He is reading the paper and she puts bread in
the toaster. When it’s ready, it “pops”
up and he catches it.
(This toaster was manufactured in England; an Easipower LTD, Model B, Tip Toaster)
The oldest
toaster was found in Pennsylvania and dates back to around 1900, a rare
find. I love the way the sides pull out and
then flips around to “toast” the other side of the bread.
(This is a Universal by Landers Fraby R. Clark, New Britain, CT)
I remember when
banks used to give away toasters or small appliances for opening a new
account. I think toasters have often
been maligned. They can be colorful, a good
size, can be used for many food items, and aren’t too expensive.
Time and Time
Again, when I’m out and about antiquing, or just browsing at a flea market,
I’ll look under tables at the clutter beneath and hope to find a unique toaster
– a piece of history that somebody just threw away. I wonder if Lucy and Ricky owned one of these
toasters? Hm…..
