Electric sandwich toaster or grill. Chrome-plated metal body, flat, rectangular top on four straight legs with flared, geometric drape-style ornament, incised with linear decoration. Squares of black Masonite attached to interior of each foot. Two flat grill-tops, open grates, each with black bakelite handles on either end, Art Deco “skyscraper” style, and connected on one long side, clamshell style. Grills have attached arm which allows them to “flip” sides. Grills sit atop base, which has an open heating unit: metal coils strung through ceramic plugs. Entire body and grill sides are incised with scroll motifs and interlocking diamond bands. Two prongs to attach power cord in front, cord missing. Plug hood is debossed: “Sunbeam/NO. 4/PAT. NO. 1465007/VOLTS 110-120 WATTS 660”.
Patent:
US 1465007 A, August 14, 1923, Ernest Sjolin, assignor to Chicago Flexible Shaft Company, for “Electric toaster”
Another version of this toaster was also sold with the same ornamentation on the body, but with fluted Doric columns for legs (see 1992.0338.49)
Patent is held by assignor to Chicago Flexible Shaft Co.; maker is Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, originally founded in the early 1890s as Chicago Flexible Shaft Co. by John K. Stewart and Thomas J. Clark, primarily manufacturing mechanical horse clippers and sheep shearers. In 1946 Chicago Flexible Shaft Co. became Sunbeam Corporation.
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