by Nancy Gibson
Patrick Sheary spends his days deeply immersed in the 18th century. As curator at a decorative arts museum in Washington, DC, he is responsible for the care and interpretation of objects made or used in the United States prior to 1840. In addition, he is in charge of all historical research and projects in 30 period rooms depicting scenes of early American life. Mr. Sheary can quickly point out the finer points of an 18th century camelback sofa made in Philadelphia or authenticate an 18th century Newport, Rhode Island high chest.
Coffee percolator from the Simplex Electric Heating Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts c.1912-1916.
During Mr. Sheary’s off hours he passionately searches for early electric appliances. He has long been interested in early technology such as typewriters and telephones, and, he is known to have a few of these things lying around the house. Recently, when this writer called him, the clang of the phone (it was made in 1929) as he picked it up was a dead give-away that he was not talking on an iPhone.
His first serious interest in early household appliances, or “electric servants” as they were called, was sparked by an urn-shaped chrome coffee percolator. Found in an antiques mall in Maryland, he was initially attracted by its classical shape, “the curator in him took hold” he says and he began to wonder when electric appliances were introduced into the American home. That was ten years ago and he has been collecting in earnest ever since.
The most important item in his collection is a pretty toaster called the D-12. It was made by General Electric between 1910 and 1912. Mr. Sheary says “there is a debate among collectors whether this was the ‘first’ toaster or not, but it is undoubtedly one of the very earliest made.” It is a deluxe version as evidence by the swag-decorated porcelain base and warming rack on top. Amazingly, the original cord survives in perfect condition.
Because these appliances were used on the dining room table rather than on a kitchen counter, as they are today, they were designed to be pleasing to the eye and to fit into the decorating schemes of their time. The Simplex Electric Heating Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts produced a coffee percolator between 1912 and 1916 in the Colonial Revival style with claw and ball feet and Manning Bowman & Company of Meriden, Connecticut made a chafing dish in a more severe, rectilinear Mission style during the same period. Both of these objects had a porcelain lever that adjusts the temperature to high, medium, or low.
An earlier egg cooker made in 1911 by Pacific Electric Heating Company, known as the “Hotpoint” of California, is in a more classically-styled urn shape. In fact, the urn design looks to have morphed into an egg. This amazing little egg cooker has interchangeable parts-an egg holder for hard and soft-boiled eggs and a fabulous frying pan.
I asked Mr. Sheary if he had passed up an appliance that he wished he hadn’t, and he relates, “I don’t really have one-that-got-away, but I do wish I had started collecting earlier when these appliances were more common at antique shows. I’m grateful for what I have been able to find since they rarely come to the market”
He also relates that this collection brings back memories of an influential family friend from his youth who, although passed away years ago at the age of 99, received electric servants as wedding presents in the late 1910s. He reflects how amused she would be today at his passion for “such modern things.”
Appliance cords stored separately from the appliance, tagged for easy identification, and in acid-free boxes.
Mr. Sheary advises those interested in starting a collection to head his advice and buy the best you can afford, buy not what is trendy, but what you really like. Most importantly, be patient. Also, characteristically for most curators, he only handles his appliances with clean cotton gloves to keep oils from corroding the nickel surfaces and dusts them regularly with a feather duster. He stores the cords separately from the appliance, tagged for easy identification, and in acid-free boxes.
Currently, he is looking for a toaster made by the Pelouze Manufacturing Co. of Chicago beginning in 1912. This elegant vertical toaster features cabriole legs in the Colonial Revival style. He is also looking for a GE frying pan made between 1907 and 1917. It features cast cabriole legs with porcelain pad feet. To contact Mr. Sheary please send a note to the author at nancy@gabrielgibson.com and she will pass it along.
