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Electric Toasters Made in the U.S.A.
during the Roaring Twenties

Home. . 1920s. . 1930s. . 1940s & later. . Non electric. . 220 Volt. .
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The Excelsior Twin Reversible Toaster

Located in New Washington, Ohio, the Perfection Electric Products Company made this quite marvelous toaster. The name badge reads The Excelsior Twin Reversible Toaster.

The crank mounted on top operates the mechanism which swings both cages out and away from the elements, flips and then in again toward the elements to toast the second side of both slices. The Cool Gizmo factor is very high.

It is in good condition overall with some corrosion to the unplated hardware on top of the doors, some corrosion on the cage and on one foot and some scratching on the top. And, it still makes pretty good toast with the pattern of the doors in the toast.

The Excelsior Twin Reversible Toaster

Shipping weight 5 Lbs.

SOLD

Purchase Information 		Cages turn with a crank handle
Cages pivot on a horizontal plane

Gold Seal Type Toaster

This toaster is not signed, but it is typical of a Gold Seal toaster with the same base and type of cages that swing out and pivot on a horizontal plane to flip the bread to the other side of the slice.

It has vertically laced spiral coil heating elements. It is in good condition except for some corrosion to the base plate for the heating elements, some corrosion on one foot and some scratching on the top. And, it still makes pretty good toast.

Gold Seal Type Toaster

Shipping weight 4 Lbs.

$145

Purchase Information

The 1929 Excel Toastoy Electric Child's Toy

>This child's toy is a miniature working scale model of an electric toaster. It sold in the 1920s for one dollar, or for a quarter more west of Denver. This actually still works.

Produced by the Excel Electric Company at Walnut and 20th Streets in Muncie, Indiana.

Excel Electric Company, Muncie, Indiana

$145 with original carton

Purchase Information		 Advertisement for the Excel Toastoy circa 1929 The fast way to learn about 'hot'.
First Automatic Pop Up Toaster

The Original Automatic Pop Up Toaster

Just after World War I, Charles Perkins Strite in Stillwater, Minnesota invented the automatic pop up toaster. Soon after, Mr. Waters and Mr. Genter in Minneapolis acquired the patents and thus began the great American company, Toastmaster.

Early on, the toaster was produced and sold by the thousands for commercial use in hotels, hospitals, and commercial settings, including Childs restaurants.

The timing operates by a clockworks mechanism, the fabulous Murray Ireland clock which was built inside all Toastmasters, both commercial and domestic models, until 1940. Here is a peek at the toaster with the cover removed.

As best we can tell, this model is from the late 1920s. It looks like a beast, very strange with today's eyes. It has a window made of mica on each side, and on the back. This model operates on household current, but it was also sold in 206 and 220 Volt models.

The controls are located on the front with a separate push down lever for each pair of slices and an arm in the notched slot for setting the darkness. The large crumb tray pulls out from the front. In addition, there is a switch mounted on each side which turns off the outer panel of the outer slot on that side, for lower capacity operation.

This one has been disassembled, cleaned and restored to good working order. The aluminum body shows a few minor scars and some light pitting in a few places, but is otherwise in good condition. And, it makes pretty good toast. For best results, we recommend preheating the toaster through one cycle before making the first batch of toast. (When a single slice version for domestic use made its debut in 1926, the instructions state that one should do the same.)

The Original Automatic Pop Up Toaster
110 Volts 2750 Watts
Waters-Genter Co. Minneapolis U.S.A.

Shipping weight 28 Lbs

$575

Purchase Information

The Boston Toaster circa 1909

According to Charles P. Fisher, author of Early American Electric Toasters, A Selection of Historical, Interesting and Good Examples, 1906 to 1940, this toaster is the heaviest (4 lbs) and highest quality toaster known to him.

The patent for this Simplex toaster was applied for in 1909, and manufactured by a Boston company, The Simplex Electric Heating Company. According to William F. George, author of Antique Electric Waffle Irons 1900-1960 A History of the Appliance Industry in 20th Century America , it was a division of Simplex Wire & Cable Company that grew from The Simplex Electrical Company incorporated in 1895 and doing business on Franklin Street in Cambridge.

The construction of this toaster is interesting. To begin with, it has a very sturdy, expensive ceramic core, rather than the more common mica. Then the frame is built with double walls, also expensive and like no other toaster I can think of.

The doors are removable making them easy to clean them, and the floor of the toaster.

The toaster has two retractable wire racks for keeping a slice of toast warm while more is cooking, or even two slices. Note that the maximum height of your toast is four inches. You'd have to slice off the top of even sandwich bread. I guess they had small loaves in Boston.

And, the whole thing sits on a base made of cast iron finished in oven fired black enamel. It is heavy. There is nice signature on the bottom.

This one is still in very good condition and works perfectly. It comes with a detachable cord set.

The Boston Toaster
110 Volts 4.5 Amps

Shipping weight: 7 Lbs.

$245

Purchase Information		 The Boston Toaster circa 1909
Patent granted in September of 1912.

Pelouze Vertical Toaster circa 1912

This is the least common of any toaster for sale here at Toaster Central. Because it is so early, it was still a new-fangled thing.

According to the Charles P. Fisher book on toasters "Edward Schwartz received a design patent on the spidery cabriole-legged percher, which was made by Pelouze Mfg. of Chicago." I think it is interesting that two dates are shown on the badge, for both the patent application date and also the date the patent was granted.

It's a striking piece, even in profile.

And, yes, it still works. It's in beautiful condition with minor repair to the mica plates that is not conspicuous, and otherwise all original. But, this is really a show piece and I'd not recommend using it frequently. Great gift for a patent lawyer, inventor, or someone who already has everything and doesn't need a gift from Sharper Image.

Pelouze Vertical Toaster circa 1912
110 Volta 500 Watts
Pelouze Manufacturing Co. Chicago

$2250

Purchase Information

Red Torrid Toaster

Made in Hartford, Connecticut, this toaster has been used, abused, and seriously neglected, but still makes toast! The red fittings are unusual, and the doors swing from sideto side. The toast shows the pattern from the door.

The condition of the base is especially poor where most of the nickel plating has deteriorated, and the sides are pitted. It comes with a detachable cord set.

Torrid Toaster in Red
Hartford, Conn.

$125

Purchase Information		 Red Hot Toast
Westinghouse Turnover Toaster Westinghouse E. & M. Co. East Pittsburgh, PA.

Westinghouse Turnover Toaster

The earlier version of this toaster, with a ceramic core rather than mica, was advertised for Christmas in 1916, but this toaster dates a few years later when Westinghouse was still in East Pittsburgh, before the move to Mansfield, Ohio. This model has a permanently attached cord which I've replaced and fitted with a bakelite plug.

Turnover Toaster Style N0.284032A
Westinghouse Elec..& Mfg.. Co.
East Pittsburgh, PA. U.S.A.
Volts 100/120 Watts-550.
LMP diamond
Patented 7-28-14 9-25-14
the WEP inside a double circle

$185

Purchase Information

The First Swinger

This is a fairly fancy toaster called the Electroweld with colored handles, swinging doors and a rather odd on/off switch that looks like it should be a lamp socket. This one is in good condition and is complete except for what must have been colored fiber feet.

This toaster is interesting because it is based on the first patented design for a toaster with with swinging baskets. The patent was granted in November 1920. The original had just wire handles and a heavy cast-lead weight in the base, but this later version has turned wood handles.

Pat. Nov. 16, 1920 is the only marking on the bottom.

$310

Purchase Information		 Circa 1922-1925 made in Linn Mass.
Two slices in a drawer.

Unusual Silver Plated Toaster

This is an interesting toaster for its silver plating. It is marked SPNS, presumably for silver plated nickel silver. It is definitely not regualr nickel plating, and shines up as silver plating does.

I'd put it aside as a project to research, clean up the toaster and flatten the top piece.

However, I've got too many projects and not enough space, so it is for sale as is, suitable for a toaster collector or a first-time toaster restoration project. It has ornate sides.

Silver Plated Toaster

Shipping weight 4 Lbs.

SOLD

Purchase Information

Universal with Early Doors

I belive this toaster dates before 1918 since it has an early form of doors. Although it looks as though the tab handles are missing something, they are not. This toaster is capable of toasting half a bagel and thick material. The doors are spring loaded and open wide enough to clamp very thick material.

It plugs in below the door and comes with a detachable cord set. And, it is just about the most compact electric toasting device ever.

This toaster is suitable as a gift to a toaster collector, or someone who has absolutely everything, or perhaps a patent lawyer, inventor, or historian.



Universal Toaster with Early Doors

Shipping weight 4 Lbs.

$185

Purchase Information		 Universal with early doors.

Home. . . 1920s. . . 1930s. . . 1940s & Later. . . Non electric. . . 220 Volt. . .
Waffle Irons. . . Corn Poppers. . . Fryers. . . Egg Cookers. . . Other. . .
Kitchen Props . . . Toast Racks. . . toasterNotes Cards. . .
Repair Service. . . Replacement Cord Sets. . . FAQ. . . Links. . .

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