Showing 55 items
matching electrical appliances
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City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Domestic object - Kitchen Equipment, 'Smoothwell' electric flat iron c1935, c1935
... partner Richard Dyer, and other electrical appliance firms, e.g..., and other electrical appliance firms, e.g Hotpoint, began producing ...c1881 Henry W Seely, of New Jersey, USA, designed and patented an electric sad iron for pressing and smoothing material. He continued to modify and improve his designs, with his partner Richard Dyer, and other electrical appliance firms, e.g Hotpoint, began producing these flat irons that could provide continuous heat by connecting via an electrical flex to a light socket and hence without the need for hot fires, ash, or burning hot handles. Women with access to an electricity supply were delighted and their ironing chore became much less arduous No heat was felt at all from the iron as it is all concentrated on the bottom surface. By the early 20th century enthusiasm was building for the new electric smoothing irons: clean, powerful, adjustable, and labour-saving. This c1935 Premier System 'Smoothwell' flat iron was used by a resident of City of Moorabbin and is an example of the progress made from the sad irons used by the pioneers that are displayed beside it.A "Premier Smoothwell" electric flat iron with switched control lead and original box, c 1935 On plate of handle attached to Iron ' HARRODS Ltd. / LONDON On attached plate at rear of iron ' The "SMOOTHWELL" / "Premier System" /......... Plate on cord Plug " PREMIER/ FLAT IRON CONNECTOR/ THIS SIDE OUTWARDS/ (2 columns) 1) FOR 100-125 VOLTS/ USE THREE TERMINALS/ THUS ..... 2) FOR 200 - 240 VOLTS/ USE TWO RIGHT/ HAND TERMINALS/ ONLY/ THUS......seely henry w., sad irons, electric flat irons, dyer richard, edison thomas, hotpoint pty ltd., premier electric company birmingham england, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, laundry, sewing, craftwork, table ware, irons -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Lady Sunbeam Home Hair Dryer, Sunbeam Corporation Australia, c1960
... , the first small electrical appliance to be manufactured in Australia..., the first small electrical appliance to be manufactured in Australia ...Sunbeam produced a wide range of hair dryers in a variety of sizes and shapes throughout the 1960s. Lady Sunbeam was promoted as providing unequalled efficiency as well as extra convenience and comfort. Whilst you dried your hair, you were able to sit and relax, read a book, write letters, knit or apply your nail enamel. The added convenient shoulder strap enabled you to complete other small household chores such as ironing - as long as they could be carried out within the distance of the power cord. Sunbeam History The Sunbeam Corporation began in Australia in 1902 as a small branch of the American group, Chicago Flexible Shaft Company.In 1946, this company changed its name to Sunbeam Corporation and developed the slogan "Best Electric Appliances Made". The company became publicly traded in 1952 and came into Australian ownership in 1987. In 1948 the company launched the Sunbeam Mixmaster®, the first small electrical appliance to be manufactured in Australia. In 2020, the company changed its name to Newell Australia.This item is representative of a range of domestic appliances used across Australia in the 1960s to make home life simpler and more convenient.Hair dryer in portable round plastic hinged case with motor fitted within the base. Plastic wire coiled hose is attached to the motor. A plastic hood edged with elastic and lace adjustment is fitted to the end of the hose. The hood has a pattern of gold embossed flowers. The motor has settings off, cool, warm, med, hot. An electric cord and plug are attached to the motor. The lid closes with a sprung knob and has a plastic carry handle. The "Lady Sunbeam" Logo is embossed on the lid.On lid: Lady Sunbeam / HAIR DRYER Underneath unit: MODEL AHD-7 220-250V 50CYC 300W.AC. ONLY/ PATENT PENDING RD.NO.42.338 MADE IN AUSTRALIA / Sunbeam CORPORATION LIMITEDsunbeam australia, domestic appliances, hair dryers -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Mann Collection Album - High Street West - Vee Jay Radio, Peter’s Fish Café, Jim Matthews Store, C.1970s
... . The business involved electrical repairs and appliance sales.... The business involved electrical repairs and appliance sales ...Elaine Mann was married to David Mann, a successful Wodonga businessman and community leader who passed away in Wodonga in June 2012. David was a member of the Mann family who began their business in Wodonga in 1920. Elaine was a teacher in Wodonga for many years and an active member of the community.This photo collection is of significance as it documents how the businesses and buildings in Wodonga have evolved and contributed to community throughout the late 20th century.These businesses were located just north of the railway crossing between Melbourne Road and Bond Street. The railway signals can be seen in the background above Peter’s Fish Café. These buildings have all been demolished and the area is now part of Junction place. Jim Matthews was selling Radiola car radios. He also sold used furniture and had a bike repair business at this location, before later expanding his bike business on the south of the railway crossing, Peters Cafe was at 103 High Street. It was operated by the Bouteris family in the early 1970s. It later became the Chao Thai Restaurant. Vee Jay Radio was operated by Mr. Albert Eddie Branwhite. He moved to Wodonga in 1946 and started selling radio repairs door to door. He then set up his store in 105 High Street. This site had previously been a barber’s shop. The business involved electrical repairs and appliance sales. In the late 1950s Mr. Branwhite established the Wodonga Express. He set the type and printed from the back of this shop until relocating to the Lincoln Causeway. He was actively involved in the community, including many years on the Wodonga Hospital Board of Management which was recognised with a life governorship. Mr. Branwhite passed away in 2001, wodonga businesses, high st wodonga, vee jay radio, jim matthews, peter’s fish café, mr. albert eddie branwhite -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Geological specimen - Native (metallic) copper, Unknown
... electrical appliances as it is a great conductor of heat ...This specimen is a native copper specimen that is metallic. Copper is typically found in the earth's crust and is often found alongside other metals such as gold, zinc, lead and silver which all belong to the same group which is the Copper/Gold group. Copper is most commonly formed from large masses of molten lava rock which has solidified in the earth's crust and over time though different sizes and speeds of crystal growth has turned into large amounts of copper, stored in porphyry copper deposits. Copper has a distinctive colour, yet can sometime appear blue and greenish which is often caused by oxidisation or a mixture of copper and other metals. This specific specimen was recovered from Moonta, South Australia. The Moonta Mining Company was established in 1861, after a Shepard in the area noticed traces of copper. This lead to a rush in the copper mining industry which was relatively young in Australia at the time, making Moonta Mining Company one of the richest in Australia. By the 1860's, South Australia had been nicknamed the "Copper Kingdom" due to its vast amount of Large copper mines and resources. As of 2016, Australia was the second largest producer of Copper internationally, following behind Chile in first place. This copper specimen is significant historically and scientifically as it is such an important metal commonly used throughout the world in various ways. Copper is an invaluable recourse used in daily life, used in most electrical appliances as it is a great conductor of heat and electricity, as well as being soft and malleable, making it easy to bend and mould into delicate sheets and wires. Copper does not corrode and is therefore used in the production of water pipes among countless other significant necessities that are often overlooked in our society. Historically, Copper holds great significance as it was the first metal used by humans. It was discovered roughly 9000 years ago and was utilised by the Neolithic Man who learnt that heating the metal made it more malleable, thus tools and utensils were made which were far superior to the previous stone tools used by humans. This history and its connection to the current and ongoing relationship between humans and copper must be preserved and highlighted as it is integral to the history of all humankind. A small, palm-sized solid native copper mineral specimen with shades of browns, black and rustic tones throughout the specimen.NATIVE (metalic) COPPER / Locality: Moonta, South Australiabeechworth, burke museum, geological specimen, native specimen, geological, mineral, mineralogy, indigo shire, beechworth museum, copper, copper ore -
Orbost & District Historical Society
electric massager, PIFCO Ltd, 1947 - 1948
... massager PIFCO electrical-appliance Bulmer... and gout. It is an example of an early electrical appliance ...Lottie Bulmer (wife of Mr Frank Bulmer, Orbost) originally owned the massager. It was given to Di Cunningham by her sister Barbara who married Les Bulmer, Lottie and Frank's son,. After Les died, Barbara gave it to Di Cunningham, her sister, Di kept it for about a year. Pifco manufactured personal massaging equipment between 1948 and about 1968 (the first appeared about 1935).These devices were promoted as being able deal with all kinds of complaints, from headaches, pain relief and flatulence to hair loss and gout. It is an example of an early electrical appliance.3081.1 is an orange and white cardboard box - in black print on top is "PIFCO Electric Massager". It is the original container. Inside is an electric appliance with three attachable massage red coloured caps. There is an electric cord with a plug. The handle has ridges for gripping. There is a special control knob - possibly bakelite. There is a 15 pp instruction manual - 3081.3. Reg. no 852269massager pifco electrical-appliance bulmer -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Iron - Electric
... electrical appliance... c1950. iron; electrical appliance laundry domestic pressing ...From c1950s electrical irons were used. The thermostatic iron followed the electric iron used with a container that enabled water to be sprayed onto the cloth. Damp cloth was more easily pressed. This thermostatic electric iron was one of the early models.This iron was used by residents of the Kiewa Valley including those living at Mt Beauty where there was electricity and an SEC shop from c1950.This is a "General Electric" iron. It has a steel base with a chrome upper and black plastic handle. It is thermostatically controlled with water spray. The electric cord is permanently attached, at right angels, to the handle base. A red button activates the water spray when pushed. A white button slides to enable fabric selection. A metal hole in the front of the handle is used to fill the iron with water.General Electric; Wash and Wear / Wool / Cot / Lin; Australian General Electric Appliances Pty Ltd.; Notting Hill Victoria. 1100 Wats 240 Volts AC only. V/A2F Cat. No. 10 FS10iron;, electrical appliance, laundry, domestic, pressing clothes -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Booklet - S.E.C.V, Cooking for Christmas with the SEC
... electrical appliances and gave advice on their use along with recipe ...For many years, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria produced a Christmas Recipe booklet. This one has been typed up without the glossy quality of others that were issued from the Sales Department of the S.E.C.V..The SECV constructed the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme employing many workers. They built the townships of Bogong and Mt Beauty and assisted with the infrastructure required to support the influx of population. In the Mt Beauty shopping centre, one of the shops was the SEC Showroom which sold electrical appliances and gave advice on their use along with recipe booklets for cooking on the new electrical appliances. This booklet continues the tradition of a Christmas recipe booklet.White 22 page booklet with the black title in the middle of the cover surrounded by a repeated-design green border. recipes. secv. christmas recipes. -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Wholesale Appliances, Bolton Street, Eltham, September 2009, 2009
Colour photographbolton street, eltham ridge, eltham waterhouse, go electrical, hindson hislop, industries, wholesale appliances -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Polisher Floor, Hoover Appliances, Meadowbank
This appliance was a time saving method of cleaning floors. It appeared at a time (after World War II) when the domestic pressures faced by mothers and domestic staff was on the increase. The necessary "working parents" was through necessity becoming part of the "typical" family environment. It was the start of the ever increasing demand, from an economical reason, for both parents to work outside their property. Historically the period of the 1950s was one of extreme changes. It was an era where established role models were under pressure from an ever increasing demand for new and advancing consumerism. Communication levels via radio, newspapers and television was expanding at an ever increasing rate. Relatively isolated rural areas were opening up (post war) to foreign ideologies of consumerism. The basic restraints of "this will be alright mate, she'll do" was under a slow but effective take over. "I can get this done faster by this new whiz bang gadget that I saw on the TV last night!" was the new way to live by.This item is very significant in that it demonstrates the new consumerism at its infant stage of the social changes occurring due to greater communication levels between the rural Australian communities and other advancing communities world wide. The Kiewa Valley residents (mainly from the intermingling of rural and post World War II refugees working at the construction of the Victorian Hydro electricity installations, resulted in this rural area becoming integrated to new ways of living (both socially and economically). Once the attitude of "we have always done it this way mate!" was challenged and overcome, the acceptance of new time saving "gadgets" which started to pour in from foreign markets, the relative isolation of the Kiewa Valley (being mainly psychological entrenched), was over.This hoover electric floor scrubber and polisher has a main base containing two brushes (can be replaced with polishing pads). The two brushes/pads are fastened or removed from the base unit by pulling/pushing the heads from the small hexagonal shaft on the bottom of the machine motor. A pressure sensitive wire is inlaid at the brush/pad end to hold the brush/pad unit onto the shaft. The discs body and main body covering the electric motor are made from sturdy plastic. The rest of the appliance materials i.e. upright handle and the u framed attaching arm are made from lightweight powder coated steel. A small (350mm) red coloured foot switch protrudes from the back of the motor to release the the upright handle from the storage position to the action position.There are two fork shaped brackets on the rear of the handle, for securing the 6.5 metre long electrical cord and plug. There is no on/off switch on the appliance. A small stainless steel "u" framed clip (for hanging the appliance in the vertical position) for cupboard storage. Within the circle of the cleaning brush is stamped "1 above S.A.B.351" and on the opposite side P/No: 5023792". On the main plastic head of the brush discs are "TO CLEAN" and under this "USE ONLY WARM(underlined) WATER AND SOAP" on the opposite side, and within a circle is the Hoover Trademark. On the front of the blue coloured plastic dome covering the electric motor is (on a raised domed shaped plaque (on a red background) Hoover in slanted print from left to right(in a diagonal level)domestic appliances, floor cleaning, electric floor scrubbers and polishers -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Can Fuel Measuring, circa 1950
The 1950's saw a revolution in small appliances for use in the average household. The hand held self heating(kerosene) iron for which this filling can was provided ,was introduced as a time saving and more convenient iron for pressing clothes and other cloth fabrics. It replaced irons needing an external fire source to heat the ironing plate. These irons continued to be in service, even when electricity was available in cities and larger rural towns. This item was used before and during the electricity supplies available from the Kiewa Hydro Electricity Scheme. These irons remained in use within regional rural areas that had limited or unreliable electrical reticulation and the ability to service them from this filling can was an essential part.n the 1950s and later the Kiewa Valley was still a relatively isolated region which was home to rural properties and small settlements. The availability of electricity and or the financial means to afford new types of electric hand irons ensured that older and sometimes less efficient ironing appliances remained for an extended period covering the 1960s to 1970s. Kerosene products, such as the kerosene self heating (KVHS 0347A) iron and this kerosene filling item, was a cheaper method for farm based domestic and other rural activities requiring a heat source. The use of kerosene as a heat/light source was able to be supplied in bulk and able to be used when floods severed vital roads into this region. The supply of electricity was in summer time subject to interruption from bush fire damaged wooden poles carrying the electrical cables. Self sufficiency by rural populations was the backbone of survival and the ability to store energy sources "on the farm" was a prerequisite of isolated regions, such as the Kiewa Valley, circa 1950s.This specially spout fitted can was provided with the Coleman self heating kerosene iron (see KVHS 0347A). On one side of the half enclosed top of the can there is a small spout(for poring the appropriate liquid into the egg shaped fount container) at the rear end of the hand iron. The can is made from tin. See KVHS 0347B- Instruction sheet; KVHS 0347C- Wrench.On one side of the can in black print on yellow background is "FUEL MEASURING CAN" underneath is "For Coleman Instant-Lite Iron" underneath are four numbered paragraphs detailing the use of this can. Below this is the name and places of manufacture. On the other side of the can is printed "BE SURE" with filling and maintenance instructionskerosene can, ironing, domestic appliances, household appliances -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Can Opener, Bottle Opener & Corkscrew
It took 15 years to invent the can. It took 100 more to invent a standard way to open it. In the 19th century, decades after the invention of canning, there were virtually no can openers. Canned food, such as sardines, came with its own "key" to peel back the tin lid. Birth of the can One of the oddest things about the can opener is that the can predates it by almost 150 years. Though common today, cans were once military-grade technology. In 1795, Napoleon, to whom the phrase "an army marches on its stomach" is attributed, offered 12,000 francs to anyone who could find a way to preserve food. Without any knowledge of bacteria or their role in food spoilage, scientists didn't even know where to begin. It took 15 years before a chef named Nicholas Appert claimed the prize after successfully jarring food. Soon after that, his countryman Philippe de Girard came up with a variant on Appert's method—metal tins—and sold the idea to the British. Spoiled food, and the sickness it caused, was a widespread problem. The public would have benefited from canned food, but for decades cans were almost exclusively for the army and the navy. The canning process, with its hours of boiling and steaming, its scrupulous cleanliness, its heated metal, and its need for a great deal of disposable material, made canned food far too expensive for anyone but the military. No can openers were needed or even possible. The metal of early cans was too thick to make openers practical. Soldiers and sailors had plenty of sharp objects on hand and made ample use of them when they wanted to eat. During the 19th century, the process of canning was refined and mechanised, and the metal wall of the average can slimmed down enough that a civilian could get it open—if that civilian had the right tool. No one had that tool yet, so early cans had to open themselves. In other words, they came with built-in openers. The result was a confusing but pleasing free-for-all, in terms of product engineering. Each type of food came with its own kind of can, and each kind of can came with its own kind of opener. Tinned fish and meat were often sold in rectangular cans. These cans were fitted with a "key" that would roll down the top of the can. Coffee, beans, and other types of meat were packaged in cylinders with metal strips that could be peeled back with their own kinds of built-in keys. Cans of milk, which didn't need to be completely opened, came with puncture devices. As tinned food became more common, its containers became more regular. A nice cylindrical can became the norm, and, as these cans filled kitchens, more engineers put their minds to finding a convenient way to open all of them. The first standalone can opener worked on a simple principle: point, stab, and pull. From the mid-19th century to the end of World War I, the typical can opener looked roughly like a wrench, if the lower 'jaw' of the wrench were replaced with a blade. People used the blade to puncture the top of the can near its edge, push the upper jaw against the side of the can, and drag the blade through the metal along the rim. Because meat was the first and most popular canned substance, these can openers were often shaped to look like cows and given the nickname 'bully beef can openers'. The bully beef can opener, popular in the mid-19th century, resulted in many lost fingers. Later, a corkscrew was added that was seated in the handle, and could be pulled out for use. Bully beef can openers were so common, effective, and sturdy that they are still frequently available on collectors' sites. Some are advertised as “still working,” and every last one of them is, without a doubt, soaked in the blood of our ancestors. Dragging a sharp blade along the edge of a can is certain to cause injury sooner or later. So once people got a reliable can shape and a reliable way to get the can open, the search was on for a reliable way to get a can open without the possibility of losing a finger. The answer came in 1925, from the Star Can Opener Company of San Francisco. This is probably the first can opener that resembles the one people have in their kitchens today. Instead of using a blade to pry open a metal can, buyers could clamp the edge of the can between two wheels and twist the handle of one of the wheels to move the blade around the lip. The Star can openers weren't perfect. Compared to the bully beef model, they were flimsy and breakable, but they probably prevented a few injuries. Six short years after the Star model came to market, the first electric can opener was invented. It was patented in 1931 by the Bunker Clancey Company of Kansas City, who had already been sued by the Star Can Opener Company for trying sell a double-wheeled can opener like the Star model (the case was dismissed). The electric can opener must have seemed like the wave of the future and a sure-fire seller, but it proved to be too far ahead of its time. In 1931 not that many households had electricity, and those that did weren't interested in buying can openers. The Bunker Clancey Company was subsequently bought by the Rival Company, which still makes small appliances like can openers today. It took another 25 years for electrically powered can openers to become practical. In the 1950s, Walter Hess Bodle and his daughter, Elizabeth Bodle, developed an electric can opener in the family garage. Walter came up with the opener's blades and motor, and Elizabeth sculpted the outside. Their can opener was a free-standing unit that could sit on the kitchen counter. The Udico brand of the Union Die Casting Company put it on the market in time for Christmas in 1956 and had great success with it. Over the next few years it came out in different styles and colours, and, like the bully beef can opener, has become a collector's item. Also like the bully beef model, Udico can openers often still work. They don't make 'em like they used to. Although there have been some design changes and refinements over the last sixty years, there have yet to be any more leaps forward in can opener technology. If you're resentfully opening a can, you are almost certainly doing it using the Star design, manually forcing the can between two wheels, or the Bodle design, clamping the can into a free-standing electrical opener. Whether or not you enjoy your holiday meals, at least you can be happy that you are not getting poisoned by your own food or cutting open your hand with the blade you use to get at it. That's something, right?The can opener, Bottle opener and the corkscrew are still very important and essential items in most kitchens.Metal can opener, chromed, with bottle opener, and a corkscrew seated in the handle.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, canning, can opener, corkscrew, bottle opener, kitchen equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Domestic object - Can Opener
It took 15 years to invent the can. It took 100 more to invent a standard way to open it. In the 19th century, decades after the invention of canning, there were virtually no can openers. Canned food, such as sardines, came with its own "key" to peel back the tin lid. Birth of the can One of the oddest things about the can opener is that the can predates it by almost 150 years. Though common today, cans were once military-grade technology. In 1795, Napoleon, to whom the phrase "an army marches on its stomach" is attributed, offered 12,000 francs to anyone who could find a way to preserve food. Without any knowledge of bacteria or their role in food spoilage, scientists didn't even know where to begin. It took 15 years before a chef named Nicholas Appert claimed the prize after successfully jarring food. Soon after that, his countryman Philippe de Girard came up with a variant on Appert's method—metal tins—and sold the idea to the British. Spoiled food, and the sickness it caused, was a widespread problem. The public would have benefited from canned food, but for decades cans were almost exclusively for the army and the navy. The canning process, with its hours of boiling and steaming, its scrupulous cleanliness, its heated metal, and its need for a great deal of disposable material, made canned food far too expensive for anyone but the military. No can openers were needed or even possible. The metal of early cans was too thick to make openers practical. Soldiers and sailors had plenty of sharp objects on hand and made ample use of them when they wanted to eat. During the 19th century, the process of canning was refined and mechanised, and the metal wall of the average can slimmed down enough that a civilian could get it open—if that civilian had the right tool. No one had that tool yet, so early cans had to open themselves. In other words, they came with built-in openers. The result was a confusing but pleasing free-for-all, in terms of product engineering. Each type of food came with its own kind of can, and each kind of can came with its own kind of opener. Tinned fish and meat were often sold in rectangular cans. These cans were fitted with a "key" that would roll down the top of the can. Coffee, beans, and other types of meat were packaged in cylinders with metal strips that could be peeled back with their own kinds of built-in keys. Cans of milk, which didn't need to be completely opened, came with puncture devices. As tinned food became more common, its containers became more regular. A nice cylindrical can became the norm, and, as these cans filled kitchens, more engineers put their minds to finding a convenient way to open all of them. The first standalone can opener worked on a simple principle: point, stab, and pull. From the mid-19th century to the end of World War I, the typical can opener looked roughly like a wrench, if the lower 'jaw' of the wrench were replaced with a blade. People used the blade to puncture the top of the can near its edge, push the upper jaw against the side of the can, and drag the blade through the metal along the rim. Because meat was the first and most popular canned substance, these can openers were often shaped to look like cows and given the nickname 'bully beef can openers'. The bully beef can opener, popular in the mid-19th century, resulted in many lost fingers. Bully beef can openers were so common, effective, and sturdy that they are still frequently available on collectors' sites. Some are advertised as “still working,” and every last one of them is, without a doubt, soaked in the blood of our ancestors. Dragging a sharp blade along the edge of a can is certain to cause injury sooner or later. So once people got a reliable can shape and a reliable way to get the can open, the search was on for a reliable way to get a can open without the possibility of losing a finger. The answer came in 1925, from the Star Can Opener Company of San Francisco. This is probably the first can opener that resembles the one people have in their kitchens today. Instead of using a blade to pry open a metal can, buyers could clamp the edge of the can between two wheels and twist the handle of one of the wheels to move the blade around the lip. The Star can openers weren't perfect. Compared to the bully beef model, they were flimsy and breakable, but they probably prevented a few injuries. Six short years after the Star model came to market, the first electric can opener was invented. It was patented in 1931 by the Bunker Clancey Company of Kansas City, who had already been sued by the Star Can Opener Company for trying sell a double-wheeled can opener like the Star model (the case was dismissed). The electric can opener must have seemed like the wave of the future and a sure-fire seller, but it proved to be too far ahead of its time. In 1931 not that many households had electricity, and those that did weren't interested in buying can openers. The Bunker Clancey Company was subsequently bought by the Rival Company, which still makes small appliances like can openers today. It took another 25 years for electrically powered can openers to become practical. In the 1950s, Walter Hess Bodle and his daughter, Elizabeth Bodle, developed an electric can opener in the family garage. Walter came up with the opener's blades and motor, and Elizabeth sculpted the outside. Their can opener was a free-standing unit that could sit on the kitchen counter. The Udico brand of the Union Die Casting Company put it on the market in time for Christmas in 1956 and had great success with it. Over the next few years it came out in different styles and colours, and, like the bully beef can opener, has become a collector's item. Also like the bully beef model, Udico can openers often still work. They don't make 'em like they used to. Although there have been some design changes and refinements over the last sixty years, there have yet to be any more leaps forward in can opener technology. If you're resentfully opening a can, you are almost certainly doing it using the Star design, manually forcing the can between two wheels, or the Bodle design, clamping the can into a free-standing electrical opener. Whether or not you enjoy your holiday meals, at least you can be happy that you are not getting poisoned by your own food or cutting open your hand with the blade you use to get at it. That's something, right?The can opener is still a very important and essential item in most kitchens.Can opener, right handed, metal, upper blade section serrated, inscription 'Peerless Pat.Feb 11-90'.Peerless Pat.Feb 11-90flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, cannning, can opener, kitchen equipment -
Federation University Historical Collection
Booklet, Berry Anderson & Co, The Ballarat School of Mines, Calendar and Annual Report 1894, 1894
The Ballarat School of Mines Calendar and Annual Report 1894. Associateship of The School, Calendar for 1894, Certificates Granted by the Council 1893, Comparative Statement of Receipts and Expenditure, Departmental Expenditure, Examiners, Examination Papers, Examination Fees, Fees, Honorary Correspondents, Life Governors, Meteorological Observations, Mining Engineering Scholarship, Number of Certificates Granted since Inception, Number of Students attended The School of Mines, Office Bearers, Plant and Appliances, Practical Treatment of Ores, Professors and Lecturers, Report of the Professor of Mineralogy and Geology and Curator of the Museum, Report of the Superintendent of Laboratories, Report of the Lecturer on Engineering and Surveying, Report of the Lecturer on Mathematics, Report of the Instructor in Mechanical Drawing and Machine Construction and Design, Report of the Lecturer on Electrical Engineering and Telegraphy, Report of the Lecturer on Geometrical Model and Perspective Drawing, Report of the Lecturer on Botany, Report of the Lecturer on Biology, Pharmacy, Materia Medica, Scale of Charges for Assays and Analyses, State School Science Classes, Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for year 1893 and Serjeant Scholarship Fund, Statistics - Student attending Lectures, Subscriptions and Donations, Syllabus of Lecture Courses, Time TableThe Ballarat School of Mines Calendar and Annual Report, 1894. Green soft cover, 116 pages. ballarat school of mines, annual report, andrew anderson j.p. - president, f. j. martell - vice president, r. denham pinnock - vice president, rivett henry bland - trustee, the hon. sir w. j. clarke - trustee, the hon. john warrington rogers - trustee, james oddie - trustee, the hon. henry cuthbert - honorary solicitor, r. g. middleton - honorary treasurer, charles kent - auditor, andrew berry - registrar, professor alf. mica smith - chemistry, metallurgy, natural philosophy, professor krause - geology, mineralogy, principles of mining, professor j. h. horwood - mine and land surveying, mining mechanics, hydraulics, civil engineering, applied mechanics, j. a. dawson - electrical engineering, d. walker - chemistry and natural philosophy, w. e. bennetts - mathematics, henry j. hall - freehand and perspective drawing, a. e. c. kerr - mechanical drawing, george p. day - botany, e. gutheil - paleontology, zoology, materia medica, w. d. snowball - veterinary science -
Federation University Historical Collection
Electrical Appliance, Philips Electrical Company, Philips Portable Valve Radio - Model 111F; 1950s, c1950s
... Electrical Appliance...; 1950s Electrical Appliance Philips Electrical Company ...Philips Australia: Radioplayer 111F. Portable radio - valves. Silver metal with black bakelite sides. Mesh panels at front and back for sound. Panel (shutter) on front folds back to reveal the radio stations in Australia. Stations use the old format - 3LO instead of 774. Right hand side has knob that changes the station, left side has one to change the volumePhilips badge on frontphilips, portable radio, valves -
Anglesea and District Historical Society
Cassette Recorder, GAC, Not known
Six key portable cassette recorder/player with rotary volume control. It can be operated directly from batteries or AC power (cord included). Also has Automatic Recording Level Control Circuitry (ALC), thus no need to adjust volume while recording. In original box with instructions and power cord. (Purchased at Waltons for 29.99).Auto Stop / GAC - logo Top: Condenser mic Rec / Play / Rewind / FF / Eject Left side: Ear O / Remote Mike 00 / Volume Bottom markings: Model No. SW-201 AC: 240V 50HZ 6W DC: 6V (UM - 2x4) Made in Hong Kong Warning: To prevent fire or electrical shock hazard, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture, do not remove cover, no user serviceable parts inside, refer servicing to qualified service personnel. cassette recorder, gac -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Audio - Clock Radio
Purchased in 1973 with a group of fellow office workers. Used by Ted Arrowsmith for 33 years as a bedside alarm and later as a clock in our back room.1973 Clock Radio FM - AM. Cream attached casing - black face - electrical - Peak DC 12|It worked through a ratchet arrangement which enabled the time disc to drop after each minute and then hourly. It was a 24 hour clock.'Peak DC 12'audio-visual technology, audio appliances -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Equipment - Travel iron, Birko, 1960s
Birko is an Australian brand, manufacturing and retailing appliances since before the Second World War.Birko travel iron with its original electrical fittings and vinyl case.Birko iron birko, travel irons -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Kerosene Lamp, early 20th Century
Kerosene lamps were used as a main source of lighting throughout Australia prior to the supply of domestic electrical services. This was obviously later in many rural areas. This lamp was used in the home of Mrs. Laura Flower nee Sommer wife of Mr. Stanley Flower of Wodonga.This lamp is representative of the lamps used throughout Australia prior to the introduction of domestic electricity supplies. It was used in the home of a Wodonga resident.This item has a cast iron base in a pyramidal shape with the four sides having an identical leaf and flower design. A piece of brass attaches the base to a clear glass bowl. The bowl contains a white wick. The brass wick holder has an external knob for regulating the light intensity. There is more brass between the bowl and the mantle which is made of plain glass.Inside the base of the lamp: an Rd No which is uncleardomestic appliances, kerosene lamp -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Food vitamiser, Semak, c1950
Semak is an Australian company, manufacturing Australian-Made equipment for the Foodservice Industry. It was established in 1948. The most famous Semak appliance is the 'Vitamizer'. Designed in 1948 it quickly became the standard for blending. An updated version was relaunched in 2012. The Semak vitamiser was advertised as a wonder machine which every housewife should have.Advertising claimed that the Semak could whip cream, grind coffee, blend jam, makes soups and sauces, makes cakes, sandwich spreads, ice-cream, special diets, puree fruit drinks, supper snacks, mayonnaise and dessert. It sold for £21. Demonstrations were conducted in electrical stores across the nation. A recipe book and full instructions for operation was included.This item is representative of a popular Australian-made kitchen appliance used across the country. A food vitamiser in 2 sections. Top section is detachable for cleaning. Has electrical cord attached.Surrounding power control: Semak Vitamiser Under base: CAT No. S2/ 230 - 25 V / 240W / 40 - 60kitchen appliances, food vitamisers, semak industries -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Floor Polisher, Hoover Ltd. Great Britain, 1950
The history of Hoover dates back to the early 1900s and directly to Mr. James M. Spangler, an American janitor who invented the first vacuum cleaner to assist in dealing with his asthma. Originally founded in Ohio in 1908, Hoover Limited became a registered company in the United Kingdom in 1919. The first factory, in Perivale, Middlesex, England, opened in 1932. Hoover became the undisputed leader in the floor-cleaning market, so much so that in USA vacuuming became referred to as “hoovering”. This model was widely advertised in Australia from 1952 to 1958. Advertisements referred to it as “The Wonderful Hoover Floor Polisher”. It came complete with Scrubbers, Felt Pads, Lambswool Pads and Built - in Head Light and in 1952 sold for £32/8/-, or could be purchased with a deposit of £8 and weekly payments of 15/-. They claimed that the Hoover Polisher would take the drudgery out a woman’s work and appealed to men by saying the lambswool pads could be used to perfectly polish the headlights and duco of cars.This item is represented of domestic appliances used throughout Australia in the 1950s and 1960sAn upright Hoover electric polisher made from die-cast aluminium with Bakelite outer casing and electrical components.On plate attached to back: THE HOOVER ELECTRIC POLISHER MODEL 0212A./TRADE MARK D.C. OR A.C. 0-60) CYCLES VOLTS / 300 WATTS RATING SERIAL NOPF 533695 PROTECTED BY PATENTS, REGISTERED DESIGNS AND TRADE MARKS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD MADE BY HOOVER LTD. GREAT BRITAINhoover appliances, domestic appliances -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Functional object - Hotpoint Electric Iron, Hotpoint under Licence to Edison Elelectric Appliance Co. Inc, c1930s
... of early electrical appliances manufactured under licence ...Hotpoint Irons were first developed in 1903 in California. The invention was named Hotpoint, after the heating elements that converged in the iron's tip, allowing it to be used to press around buttonholes and in and around ruffles and pleats on clothing and curtains. 'Hotpoint' electric irons were first sold in Australia around 1914 and remained a popular product for many decades. From the late 1920s they were manufactured in Australia by the Australian General Electric Co. Ltd.This iron is representative of early electrical appliances manufactured under licence in Australia from the late 1920s onwards.Early electric iron manufactured under license by Hotpoint Australia. The iron has a metal base into which a power cord is plugged. The iron has a wooden handle.Label: " Hotpoint. Made in Australia. Licensed by Edison Elelectric Appliance Co. Inc. Chicago, U.S.A. Cat.915 F61. W.575, W200."domestic appliances, early electric appliances, hotpoint australia -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Functional object - Light 'N Easy Electric Iron, General Electric Housewares Pty Ltd, c1950s
... of electrical appliances developed under licence in Australia from ...From the late 1920s several brands of irons, including Hotpoint and Light' N Easy were manufactured in Australia by the Australian General Electric Co. Ltd. Light' N Easy irons were marketed as a versatile iron, small and light enough to be taken with you if you needed to travel away from home.This iron is representative of electrical appliances developed under licence in Australia from the late 1920s onwards.Small yellow steam iron. There are controls and a water level indicator on the side of the iron. There are 25 steam vents in the base. Steam and dry iron with surge of steam. A 3 metre electrical cord is attached.Label: " General Electric Housewares Pty Ltd. Vic/ Nottinghill Melbourne 3166/ 700 Watts/ APP NO. V79008 Cat 04/06 240 Voltsdomestic appliances, light 'easy irons -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Functional object - Kerosene Lamp, Aladdin Industries Ltd, 1953-1963
Kerosene lamps were used as a main source of lighting throughout Australia prior to the supply of domestic electrical services. This was obviously later in many rural areas. This lamp was used in the home of Mrs. Gina Elizabeth Harris of Bethanga in Northeast Victoria where electricity was connected on 23 March 1959.This lamp is representative of the lamps used throughout Australia prior to the introduction of domestic electricity supplies. This vintage kerosene lamp is model No. 21 which was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in Greenford, Middlesex, England in the 1950s. Base stems were mostly made from wood, turned into several different patterns. More expensive table lamp stems were of metal. Bases were mostly steel filled with sand as a weight. When Bakelite became available it was used extensively in three different colours, although collectors say that white bases were used primarily in hospitals and churches and are more rare. On wick knob: "21/Aladdin Industries Ltd/GREENFORD" Inscribed around burner: "GB Patent No 9. 69-4273-4"kerosene lamp, bakelite, domestic appliances -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Ceramic KOOKABURRA Electric Jug, Nilsen Porcelain Australia, 1930s
Electric kettles were invented by the English to speed up tea preparation. In Australia fancy ceramic electric jugs quickly became a status symbol. During the Great Depression era anyone who could offer you a cuppa from a beautiful Electric Kookaburra Jug was considered to be doing well. Made by Nilsen Porcelain Australia in the 193Os, these kettles were unique for their charming art deco bird shape. Nilsen Electric Kookaburra Jugs are now regarded as a classic Australian icon prized by collectors. Oliver John Nilsen was born in Collingwood, Victoria in 1894. In 1916 he began his own electrical business, Oliver J. Nilsen & Co. (later Oliver J. Nilsen (Australia) Ltd). Nilsen's manufactured goods included such diverse products as transformers, bearings, battery chargers, bells, buzzers and gongs, porcelain ware, fuses, insulators and neon signs. Nilsen Porcelain Australia was a smaller company within the Nilsen group. Nilsen still operates as an electro-technology company operating throughout AustraliaThis jug is an excellent example of art deco ceramic appliances of the 1930s to 1950s on both a local and national level. It is also representative of products developed by a major Australian manufacturer. Earthernware ceramic jug, moulded in art deco style to represent an Australian kookaburra.vintage electric kettles, kitchen appliances, nilsen australia -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Functional object - Early Electric Table Top Fan, Elcon Australia, 1920s to 1950s
This desk or table-top electric fan marked is typical of the fans popular in the 1930s through to the 1950s. The fans were made for use in the home, office or factory and were produced in a variety of sizes. They were available in both fixed and oscillating models with different speeds. The fans cost several weeks of a man's average wage at the time and were promoted not only as improving comfort in the home but also increasing efficiency at work. With the development of air-conditioning from the 1960s and its increasing use in the workplace and then into the home, fans declined in popularity. This fan was manufactured by the Engineering & Construction Company (ELCON) an Australian owned and patented company originally based in Melbourne, Victoria in the late 1920s. The company became a subsidiary of the Electricity Meter & Allied Industries Ltd (EMAIL) in 1939. Then in 1946 they were decentralised to Orange, New South Wales. EMAIL brands included Email, Emailair, Westinghouse, Carmichael, Elcon, Metters and Weatherall. Electrolux purchased the major appliance division of Email in 2001.This item is representative of early electric fans manufactured in Australia in the early to mid 20th century. They were widely used throughout Australian homes and workplaces prrior to the development of airconditioning.This early electric table fan has four metal blades attached to an egg shaped enclosed motor. Each blade is attached with three rivets. The fan has a wire safety guard surrounding the blades. This is attached to a circular metal base.There is a switch in the centre of the base to adjust speed. A knob at the back of the fan enables its position to be adjusted. There is no longer any branding visible on the fan but it has been identified as an ELCON fan manufacured in Australia. The electrical cord is not the original which has been replaced.electric fans, home appliances, elcon fans