Bread Toasters

Object/Artifact

-

Historical Collection at the George Hail Free Library

Long-handle bread toaster with wooden handle

Long-handle bread toaster with wooden handle

Name/Title

Bread Toasters

Entry/Object ID

2025.04.08.01

Tags

Life at home

Description

18th Century Bread Toasters made of iron.

Use

Bread would be placed in the holder and placed near a fire. Before the development of the electric toaster, hand sliced bread had to be toasted on a long metal fork or in a metal frame held over a fire, or on a gas stove. (Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington DE)

Context

These items have been dated to the Revolutionary War period.

Made/Created

Time Period

18th Century

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Toaster

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Device, Cooking

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Food Preparation Equipment

Nomenclature Class

Food Processing & Preparation T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 04: Tools & Equipment for Materials

Getty AAT

Concept

toasters (cooking and heating devices)

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Long-handle toaster

Height

7-3/4 in

Width

13 in

Length

28 in

Dimension Description

Short-handle toaster

Height

4-3/4 in

Width

10-1/2 in

Length

15 in

Materials

Material

Metal, Wood

Material Notes

The handle of the long toaster is wood.

Location

Location

Container

Display Case11

Area

Museum Floor Landing

Building

George Hail Free Library

Date

July 15, 2025

Location

Room

Charles Whipple Greene Historical Collection

Building

George Hail Free Library

Date

April 8, 2025

Notes

Rectangular Glass Case on table in landing

Exhibition

Warren During the Revolutionary War

Research Notes

Research Type

Researcher

Person

Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert

Create Date

April 8, 2025

Update Date

August 11, 2025