Food

Photo of McCall's Cheese

Part of a nation's history lies in what people eat. Artifacts at the Museum document the history of food in the United States from farm machinery to diet fads.

More than 1,300 pieces of stoneware and earthenware show how Americans have stored, prepared, and served food for centuries. Ovens, cookie cutters, kettles, aprons, and ice-cream-making machines are part of the collections, along with home canning jars and winemaking equipment. More than 1,000 objects recently came to the Museum when author and cooking show host Julia Child donated her entire kitchen, from appliances to cookbooks.

Advertising and business records of several food companies—such as Hills Brothers Coffee, Pepsi Cola, and Campbell's Soup—represent the commercial side of the subject

Place: Pennsylvania

Child's Knife

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Oneida Ltd.
ID Number
1987.0492.1C
accession number
1987.0492
catalog number
1987.0492.1C

Child's Fork

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Oneida Ltd.
ID Number
1987.0492.1A
accession number
1987.0492
catalog number
1987.0492.1A

Boxed Set of Child's Flatware

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
Date made
DELETE
maker
Oneida Ltd.
ID Number
1987.0492.1D
catalog number
1987.0492.1D
accession number
1987.0492

Child's Spoon

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Oneida Ltd.
ID Number
1987.0492.1B
accession number
1987.0492
catalog number
1987.0492.1B

Cooking Fork

Long-handled fork with two, circular-section, curved tines having rounded shoulders and an arched tab at neck; shaft is square in section at neck, rounded at center and flattened at top, ending in a small, backward-scroll hook with single curl. No marks.Currently not on view
Description
Long-handled fork with two, circular-section, curved tines having rounded shoulders and an arched tab at neck; shaft is square in section at neck, rounded at center and flattened at top, ending in a small, backward-scroll hook with single curl. No marks.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1780 - 1840
ID Number
DL.64.0436
catalog number
64.0436
accession number
252005

Teaspoon

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850
1825 - 1846
ID Number
DL.60.1167
catalog number
60.1167
accession number
55659

Waffle Iron

Stove-top waffle iron consisting of a high, circular base with two lug handles that holds a pair of removable, circular plates with wire coil handles. Plates are connected by a ball hinge and patterned with a four-quadrant grid of squares.
Description
Stove-top waffle iron consisting of a high, circular base with two lug handles that holds a pair of removable, circular plates with wire coil handles. Plates are connected by a ball hinge and patterned with a four-quadrant grid of squares. Notches in base allow plates to be flipped 180 degrees. Raised cast-in marks on exterior of plates include the company's logo ("GRISWOLD" in italic letters) at center with pattern name and size "AMERICAN / No. 8 (arched)" above and "THE GRISWOLD MFG. CO. / ERIE PA., U.S.A. / PAT'D DEC. 1, 1908" (curved)" below; pattern number "885" on male plate and "886 / B" on female plate. If slanted, pre-1920; if block, post-1920.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Griswold Manufacturing Co.
ID Number
DL.67.0901
catalog number
67.0901
accession number
287134

Butter Dish

Raised, circular dish with removable, pierced liner on three, cast, looped and flowering branch feet enclosed by a repousse chased, double-domed cover topped by a cast reclining sheep.
Description
Raised, circular dish with removable, pierced liner on three, cast, looped and flowering branch feet enclosed by a repousse chased, double-domed cover topped by a cast reclining sheep. Cover is decorated with reserves of flowers, fruits and C scrolls separated by scallop shells in C scrolls and has a cast greek-key patterned band at bottom edge, while bowl has a continuous branch of pendant flowers and leaves with ruffled gadrooning at its wide, flared rim. Dish is struck incuse on the underside of its rounded bottom above and below centerpoint, "STANDARD" and "*P.L.K.*" in serif letters. Cover and liner not marked.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1851 - 1859
owner; user
Washington, Mary Anne Hammond
maker
Krider, Peter L.
ID Number
DL.60.1002
catalog number
60.1002A-C
accession number
71656

Child's Fork

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850
ID Number
DL.65.1437A
catalog number
65.1437A
accession number
70138

Berry Spoon

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1858 - ca 1870
ID Number
DL.292635.0005
catalog number
292635.0005
accession number
292635

Teaspoon

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1824
ID Number
DL.60.1169
catalog number
60.1169
accession number
52752

Ice-Cream Measure

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1885 - 1915
ID Number
DL.238049.0047
catalog number
238049.0047
accession number
238049

Bonbon Basket

Silver filigree, bail-handled, footed basket.
Description
Silver filigree, bail-handled, footed basket. Circular body consists of eight trapezoidal panels topped by 8-lobed fans or shells for the sides and a large circular flower for well; small spool shaft and low-domed circular foot are screwed to threaded rod attached to cable-bordered domed boss at center. Designs are outlined with thin, solid strips and embellished with smaller matching bosses. Hinged handle has a 6-petaled flower at bow, pointed ovals along sides and elongated drops for ends. No marks.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1875 - 1900
ID Number
DL.284305
catalog number
284305
accession number
57109

Child's Spoon

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850
maker
Bailey and Company
ID Number
DL.65.1437C
catalog number
65.1437C
accession number
70138

Teaspoon

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1811 - 1827
ID Number
DL.60.1010
catalog number
60.1010
accession number
71656

Child's Knife

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850
maker
Bailey and Company
ID Number
DL.65.1437B
catalog number
65.1437B
accession number
70138

Frying Pan

Circular frying pan cast with an integral, open teardrop-shaped handle, two pouring spouts and an inset heat ring.
Description
Circular frying pan cast with an integral, open teardrop-shaped handle, two pouring spouts and an inset heat ring. Incuse cast-in marks on underside include the company's logo ("GRISWOLD" in block letters) at center with "CAST IRON SKILLET (arched)" and pan size "8" above, and "ERIE PA., U.S.A. (curved)" and pattern number "704 / N" below.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Griswold Manufacturing Co.
ID Number
1986.1005.1
accession number
1986.1005
catalog number
1986.1005.1

popcorn thief

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Heyman, Ken
ID Number
1982.0545.211
accession number
1982.0545.211
catalog number
82.545.211

Combination Roaster, Canner and Top Stove Oven

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1933
patent date for lifting rack
1927-05-31
patent date for hinged pan handles
1931-01-13
maker
Wear-Ever Aluminum
Aluminum Cooking Utensil Company
ID Number
1985.0747.03
accession number
1985.0747
catalog number
1985.0747.03

Ice-Cream Mold

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1896 - 1913
maker
Valentine Clad and Sons
ID Number
1988.0829.02
accession number
1988.0829
catalog number
1988.0829.02

Mrs. Smith's "Mello-Rich" Pie Plate

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
ca 1953 - 1963
ID Number
1988.3053.1
nonaccession number
1988.3053
catalog number
1988.3053.1

Cake Pan

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1902
maker
Wear-Ever Aluminum
Aluminum Cooking Utensil Company
ID Number
1992.3069.01
catalog number
1992.3069.01
nonaccession number
1992.3069

Turnover Toaster

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1917-1924
maker
Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1992.0338.30
catalog number
1992.0338.30
accession number
1992.0338

pan, corn-bread

Cast iron muffin pan comprised of two rows of six molds, in the shape of small half-cylinders.
Description
Cast iron muffin pan comprised of two rows of six molds, in the shape of small half-cylinders. Two small handles, one on each of the shorter sides, one with a circular hanging hole and one cast with the manufacturer’s name, debossed: “GRISWOLD”; the underside is also cast, debossed: “NO 11/GRISWOLD ERIE PA.,/U.S.A.,/950/A”; white paint or residue spot on one side.
Maker is the Griswold Manufacturing Company, founded in 1865 by Matthew Griswold and Samuel Seldon in Erie, Pennsylvania. The company was considered a pioneer in the cast iron cookware industry for its “extra finish iron hollow ware” and choice not to use prison labor for its manufacture. In 1955 McGraw Edison Incorporated acquired the company, and two years later sold Griswold to the Randall Company of Cincinnati. The company would eventually become a part of the General Housewares Corporation.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1923-1930s
maker
Griswold Manufacturing Co.
ID Number
1990.0503.04
catalog number
1990.0503.04
accession number
1990.0503

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