Standard Telephones and Cables Pty Ltd was a telecommunications company that began as part of Western Electric, a telephone manufacturing company set up by Alexander Graham Bell. Following the First World War, Western Electric diversified to include electric generators and wireless receivers, all still imported. In 1925, Western Electric was sold to the International Telephone and Telegraph Company. In Australia, it became known as Standard Telephones and Cables (Australasia) They worked closely the Postmaster Generals department to set up telephone and radio networks throughout Australia. Its first factory was in Chippendale, New South Wales but ut developed to have branches in all stated of Australia. By the end of the Second World War STC was Australia's biggest manufacturer due to its critical role in producing telecommunications equipment, domestic radio receivers, telecom cables, military equipment and electron tubes. The company returned to peacetime manufacture. Rather than reduce staff it used its excess capacity to produce electric irons and other domestic appliances including vacuum cleaners and floor polishers. This model was produced at the beginning of the 1950s. It was once owned by Mr. Stiff from Stiff and Gannon, Wodonga.This item has local and national significance. It was used in a local Wodonga business and is representative of domestic appliances used in the 1950s. It also has national significance as it is an excellent example of good produced by the manufacturing industry in Australia during that period.Model 30 Airzone Vacuum Cleaner and accessories. Manufactured in AustraliaMetal logo for Airzone including engine specificationsdomestic appliances, standard telephones and cables pty ltd

Coleman, originally known for making lanterns, made over 30 different models of irons from 1929 to 1948. They generally came in an enamel coloured finish. The best known and most commonly found today is the “Cool Blue” enamel Coleman’s 4A gasoline iron. The Coleman 4A gasoline iron was much lighter than the previous ‘sad irons’ and no longer required to be heated on the stove or by charcoal. Instead, the pump was used to build up pressure in the fuel tank and a match was lit underneath the iron, making a flame inside the iron that would distribute the heat on the surface. Despite these benefits, fuels irons made ironing a potentially dangerous job. They had a very real possibility of causing a fire or exploding. Gas-pressure irons, that had been manufactured as early as 1900, were eventually replaced by electric-powered steam irons, in the 1970s as an affordable and safer alternative.This item is significant because it is an example of domestic appliances used widely throughout the Wodonga District.A self-heating iron which made from metal and enamel plate which included a small tank for fuel which powered the unit. A small wooden pump was used to build up pressure in the iron’s fuel tank. It has a wooden handle.domestic appliances, coleman fuel irons

Singer was first established as I. M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward C. Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then the Singer Company in 1963. The Singer company began to market its machines internationally in 1855 and won first prize at the Paris world's fair that year. They had offices established in both Sydney and Melbourne by the mid-1960s. The company demonstrated the first workable electric sewing machine in 1910. Singer was also a marketing innovator and a pioneer in promoting the use of instalment payment plans, making their machines more affordable for many people. According to its serial number, this machine was manufactured in 1950 and was one of the new models designed to be more portable as it only weighed about 10 KG.This sewing machine is of local, national and international significance as it represents developments in technology and the impact this had upon the work of women.The Singer 99 was a sturdy and reliable machine that was easy to use. Lighter than other machines of its time, this machine weighed only 10 Kgs. It is mounted on a wooden base with a small compartment under the balance wheel to store accessories and bobbins. It has a 'Bentwood' (polished plywood) cover which also provided some room for storage. The machine is driven by a small electric motor and a light to illuminate the work area. It is decorated with gold decals and a filigree pattern. It includes a knee control which is inserted in a hole at the front of the machine. The serial number EG045782 indicates it was manufactured in 1950.Across the top in gold script: "The Singer Manufacturing Co. / Made in Great Britain" On light cover: "SINGER" Plate with specifications also attached. On front of machine in oval badge: A CENTURY OF SEWING SERVICE/ THE SINGER MANFG. CO. 1851 - 1951singer sewing macnine, domestic appliances, women's work, technology

Mottled earthenware jug with black plastic lid and black and white fabric cordTemuka Wag. Vitrifieddomestic items, appliances

John and Emma Propert emigrated from England in 1877 and settled in New South Wales . Several of their 11 children became talented inventors, designing items ranging from kitchen utensils to coaches and later pop-up caravans. One of the most successful was Charles, who designed and built kitchenware over many decades. His earliest invention was irrigation equipment including patenting the common backyard rose sprinkler. Propert became a household name when he began making a wide range of kitchen implements for decades including flour sifters and chip cutters. By the 1970s Propert was Australia’s leading brand of kitchen and bathroom scales. By far the most successful product was a ball-driven egg beater, trademarked as the Ezy Whisk or Swift Whisk. In the days before electric beaters, the Ezy Whisk and Swift Whisk were market leaders and were exported world-wide. Charles Propert and his son Bertram manufactured more than a quarter of a million egg beaters a year in the early 1950s which explains why so many are still in use today.These items are significant because they were widely used throughout Australia in the 1950s by a major Australian manufacturer.Two Propert's kitchen appliances - a stainless steel Whistling Egg Timer and a Swift Whisk BeaterOn Egg Beater : A PROPERT PRODUCT MADE IN AUSTRALIA PATENT BALL DRIVE SWIFT WHIP STAINLESS STEELkitchen utensils, propert kitchen appliances

This early electric stove burner was likely produced in the early to mid-20th century. Used as a single-burner cooking appliance, common in homes before modern stovetops became standard. Functioned by passing an electric current through the coiled resistive wires, generating heat for cooking. The separate metal hot plate would distribute heat evenly, preventing direct contact with open elements.A round electric stove burner with an open metal framework revealing coiled heating elements. The burner consists of a metal base with radial supports, where spring-loaded resistive heating wires are arranged in a circular pattern. A flat metal hot plate is seen separately, which would be placed on top for even heat distribution when cooking. From the SCHURMANN's General Store Natimuk.stove, hotplate, electric, kitchen, cooking, household item

This potato masher was a common kitchen tool from the late 19th to mid-20th century, used to manually mash potatoes, soft vegetables, or fruits before electric mixers became widespread. The curved mashing plate with ridges allowed for better control and efficiency, pressing food against the bottom of a pot or bowl. The wooden handle provided comfort during use, though its aged and cracked condition suggests it has been exposed to moisture over time. This type of masher was widely used in homes, bakeries, and food preparation settings before modern kitchen appliances took over.This is a handheld potato masher with a wooden handle and a curved metal mashing plate. The handle is cylindrical, showing signs of wear, cracking, and discoloration, indicating extensive use. The metal mashing plate is curved and ribbed, designed for pressing and breaking down cooked potatoes or vegetables. A metal collar connects the handle to the mashing plate, reinforcing the structure.potato, utensil, kitchen, vegetables, household item