General Information

Serial #

H70721 H50225

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

CHROME PLATED METAL HOUSING/ WIRE ELEMENTS WOUND BETWEEN TOP & BOTTOM STRIPS OF SHEET MICA/ SHEET METAL REFLECTORS/ WIRE METAL GRILLS/ SYNTHETIC ENDS & FEET/ PUSH-DOWN LEVER & COLOUR CONTROL KNOB/ RUBBER COVERED CORD/ RUBBER PLUG WITH PRONGS BRASS UNFINISHED

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

26.1 cm

Width

13.7 cm

Height

18.2 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Domestic Technology

Category

Food processing

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Westinghouse

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Hamilton

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

Around the time of the production of this product, the majority of Canadian households had access to electricity. Between 1941-1951, the percentage of homes with electricity increased significantly, from 69.1% of homes, to 87.8%, with higher percentages in urban regions of the country (Ref. 1). To encourage further use of electricity in homes during low-peak hours, electric companies in Canada began to encourage use of electrical appliances. These companies targeted women in their marketing, promoting the benefits of appliances to reduce workload in the kitchen. Showrooms were set up across Canada by various electric manufacturers, inviting women to view various electrical appliances (Ref. 2). As Canadians were introduced to the benefits of electricity in the kitchen, there was initially higher uptake of small electric appliances, such as toasters and irons, than the larger appliances. Between 1952-1960, the total number of toasters that were manufactured in Canada increased from 198,200 to 278,567 toasters total, or a total value of $1.2 million to $2.6 million (Ref.3). By 1931, 40% of homes across Canada owned a toaster (Ref. 1). This product was developed in Hamilton, Ontario, at the Canadian-based Westinghouse facility. The Canadian Westinghouse Company Ltd was established in 1903, and continued to grow successfully there for many decades, till its eventual closure in 1987 (Ref.4).

Function

Two toast bread on both sides at once using a pop-up toasting method. Can toast up to two slices of bread at once.

Technical

The toaster operates as a pop-up toaster, a widely-accepted method that was invented and patented by Charles Strite in 1921 (Ref.5). The toaster itself is minimal in design, embracing modernism through its use of neutral colours and simple materials. The chrome-finish metal body and the repetitive horizontal lines decorating the black plastic of the sides of the toaster allude to the modernist and future-oriented aesthetics of art deco style (Ref.6).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

INCISED PRINTING ON BREAD CRUMB TRAY DOOR READS: 'Y VJ'/ 'NL'/ 'MODELTP-22M/ CANADIAN WESTINGHOUSE Co LIMITED/ HAMILTON CANADA/ MODEL TP-22 S-H707211320W 115V AC ONLY/ CSA APPROVAL No 27/ CAUTION - USE WITH WALL OR BASE RECEPTACLE ONLY'/ 'H50225115V' (STAMPED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION & UPSIDE DOWN OVER 'MODEL TP-' NOTED ABOVE) & 'PULL WALL PLUG/ BEFORE OPENING'/ MARKINGS ON FRONT INCLUDE 'WESTINGHOUSE' & 'LIGHTER DARKER' COLOUR CONTROL SETTINGS (WITH GRADATION MARKS IN BETWEEN)/ 'SINGLE SLICE' INCISED BESIDE ONE SLOT ON TOP/ MARKS ON CORD READ: 'PREENX - HEATER CORD TYPE HPN'

Missing

None apparent.

Finish

HOUSING METAL WITH POLISHED CHROME FINISH/ ELEMENT ATTACHMENT STRIPS GRAY MICA/ REFLECTORS METAL UNFINISHED & POLISHED/ ENDS, FEET & COLOUR CONTROL KNOB BLACK SYNTHETIC/ PUSH-DOWN LEVER KNOB & INTERIOR OF HANDLES CHROME-COLOURED SYNTHETIC/WHITE PRINTING/ CORD COVERING & PLUG BLACK RUBBER/ PRONGS BRASS UNFINISHED

Decoration

PARALLEL HORIZONTAL RIDGES AT BOTTOM OF EITHER END/ RAISED CIRCLE WITH CONCAVE INTERIOR AT TOP OF EITHER END (FUNCTIONS AS HANDLE)