Electrical hot comb heater and hot comb
date: label: Date
content: 1920s
name: label: Manufactured by
content: Solar Electric Manufacturing Co., American
label: Used by
content: Edna Stevens McIntyre, American, 1917 - 2017
notes: label: Caption
content: The items in this collection belonged to Edna Stevens McIntyre (May 22, 1917-). She was born in Washington, DC but relocated to Duquesne, PA at the age of 7 or 8 after her mother died. She was raised by a paternal aunt, Ida Stevens Johnson. Edna McIntyre is the aunt of the donor, Linda Crichlow White.
label: Description
content: An electric hot comb heater with a hot comb. The hot comb heater (48a) has a cylindrically-shaped body, with a stainless steel exterior and ceramic insulating tube interior. Hot combs are placed inside the central ceramic tube to be heated for use. The heater is bolted to a black-painted steel base. On one of the short ends of the base is a toggle switch with "OFF" to the left and "ON" to the right. On the opposite short end from the toggle switch is a cloth-covered electrical cord that extends out of the base. There are stainless steel rests along both of the long ends of the heater body, which provide spaces for additional hot combs to be placed. There is a stainless steel foot above the toggle switch that provides stability for the handle of the hot comb that is being heated in the interior. The center of the top of the heating element is imprinted with a logo reading "SOLAR". A metal plaque has been attached to the metal base with grommets, reading “SOLAR ELECTRIC MFG CO. / SAN FRANSISCO, CA / MADE IN U.S.A. 2AMPS 115 VOLTS SERIAL NO. 337094”. A paper board is inserted into the bottom of the metal base.
label: Description
content: The hot comb (48b) is a brass colored metal comb with black wooden handle. The handle has the initials “E. S. M.” carved into one side.
place: label: Place used
content: United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Hair
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Accessories and Personal Effects
label: Exhibition
content: Cultural Expressions
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 050
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Linda Crichlow White in honor of her aunt, Edna Stevens McIntyre
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2011.59.48ab
objectType: label: Type
content: equipment
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: metal, ceramic, wood, plastic and cloth
label: Dimensions
content: a - Heater (with cord coiled at side): 4 1/2 × 9 3/4 × 13 in. (11.4 × 24.8 × 33 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: a - Heater (with cord wrapped around it): 4 3/4 × 5 11/16 × 8 in. (12.1 × 14.4 × 20.3 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: a - Heater (without cord): 4 3/4 × 5 3/16 × 7 3/8 in. (12.1 × 13.2 × 18.7 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: a - cord outstretched (just cord): 7/8 × 60 7/8 × 1 in. (2.2 × 154.6 × 2.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: b - comb: 3/4 × 7 3/16 × 1 1/4 in. (1.9 × 18.3 × 3.2 cm)