Toastmaster Toaster
date: label: date made
content: 1936 - 1937
name: label: maker
content: McGraw Electric Co.
notes: label: Description
content: Automatic single slice toaster, design shows the influence of the "skyscraper" Art Deco style of the 1920s and 1930s. Rectangular body, chrome plated, with a single slot at top and fluted side panels, stacked base, 4 small plastic feet hidden behind metal base. Two black plastic tabs at narrow sides, one of which activates the toaster when pressed down; temperature-control dial near bottom. Power cord encased in a dark brown woven fabric. Surface scratches, underside pitted, food residues on inside wiring. Bottom has attached metal plate, embossed in sans serif: “MANUFACTURED BY MCGRAW ELECTRIC COMPANY/TOASTMASTER PRODUCTS DIVISION MPLS., MINN., U.S.A./U.S. PAT. 1,698,146 1,387,670 1,394,450 1,676,257 1,866,808/R.E. 18923 OTHERS PENDING/V. 110 –W. 600 – MO. K 884590 -MOD. 1A4”; side handle is embossed in sans serif: “TOASTMASTER”
label: Description
content: Patents:
label: Description
content: 1,698,146: January 8, 1929, Charles P. Strite, for “Bread toaster”
label: Description
content: 1,387,670: August 16, 1921, Charles P. Strite, for “Bread-toaster”
label: Description
content: 1,394,450: October 18, 1921, Charles P. Strite, for “Bread-toaster”
label: Description
content: 1,676,257: May 19, 1926, Thomas C. Forbes, for “Electric switch”
label: Description
content: 1,866,808: March 19, 1930, Murray Ireland, for "Toaster"
label: Description
content: This model (1A4, single-slice automatic) is a later version of the first automatic pop-up toaster (introduced in 1926) and was produced between August 1934- August 1939. (see 1992.0338.19)
label: Description
content: Maker is McGraw Electric Company, Toastmaster Products Division, c. 1912-present, though no longer manufacturing household appliances, and now known as McGraw-Edison.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Minnesota, Minneapolis
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
label: See more items in
content: Domestic Furnishings
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Edgar Wolf, Jr.
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1988.0076.01
label: accession number
content: 1988.0076
label: catalog number
content: 1988.0076.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: toaster, electric
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: steel, chrome-plated (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (Bakelite) (handles; plug material)
label: Physical Description
content: cloth (cord covering material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 7 in x 14 3/4 in x 6 1/2 in; 17.78 cm x 37.465 cm x 16.51 cm