Domestic
Our domestic collection covers items that characterize home and family life and relate to anything belonging to or produced in the home. Items include technology, tools, memorabilia and bric-a-brac used in food preparation, cooking, storage, food preservation, cleaning and laundry. Domestic and household management have always been a big part of life but products and machinery for the household have come a long way in easing the burden of household duties.
Flap Toaster
Date: c1960s
Title: Toaster
Description: Toaster - square shape and made from stainless steel.
The masterpiece that is the toaster, is one of the most used tools in the kitchen today. Bread started being toasted over open fires as a means of preservation. Once coal stoves were introduced, a pyramid shaped tin was invented for the stovetop. This remained the toasting method until electricity was introduced. This type of toaster held at the museum, with flaps on each side was first used in the early 1900s. Bread was placed in the toaster and the side facing the electric coils was toasted, then turned over to toast the other side. There weren’t many homes in NZ who didn’t have one. With the invention of the pop-up toaster, the flap toaster eventually became obsolete.
Meat Grinder
Date: c1950s
Title: Grinder, Meat
Description: Meat grinder, made from metal
At one point in time, all meat had to be ground by hand. It was in the 19th century the first meat grinder was invented. The early grinders had a crank handle and required a bit of elbow grease. In the 1940s & 50s the Meat Grinder came into its own in NZ. Used for grinding both fresh and cooked meat, it became a staple in the kitchen with many meals made from ground up meat leftovers when times were tough. The meat was inserted into the funnel and the handle cranked round and round pushing the meat through the small holes creating long thin strands of (minced) meat.
Cup
Date: 1900
Title: Tea cup
Description: China tea cup (part of trio). Royal Albert Bone China, made in England. "Lady Carlyle" design. White china with flower posy design, and pink and gold edge.
Boxes
Date:
Title: Boxes for domestic use
Description: A collection of boxes that had contained items for domestic use: Sole Secret Ultra nylons, Super sip drinking straws, Tapioca, Renco for Junket, Welfare foods cream of tartar, Empire cream of tartar, Elfins birthday candles, National candles, Dawn candles, Free flowing baking soda, Murdochs baking soda, Trents musto, Greggs mixed spice, Empire ground cinnamon.