Tag Archives: kitchen

19th century Household Technology

Posted on August 7, 2011 by iselva.alcantara

Searching through Google I found a video relating to household technology of the mid 19th century.  This mini documentary comes from the Library of Congress titled  “The History of Household Technology”. I, like most of you know that life for these women during this period wasn’t easy. Household work would take all day and it was arduous work.  I have never been so grateful for the advancements in household technology until now. The video portrays some innovations regarding laundry, ironing and the stove.  Today these chores have become so efficient regarding time, we often forget that each of these activities took a day each back in the 19th century.  In the documentary they mention some excerpts of reading materials provided to housewife by other housewives.  These were advices and tips on how to become a better housewife.

It is quite interesting on how these women first started doing laundry by hand and then decades later, trying to find easier, less strenuous ways to do these chores, technological innovations came up with a product that resembles a washing machine.

Even the clothes iron was something to dread, due to its weight and its capability to burn your hand or even worst explode.

This reminds me a great deal of how many of the authors of the readings we do for class, make the argument that all these technological innovations although great have did not take the women out of the kitchen.  I agree with them but at the same time it is hard to not grasp the importance of how much these innovations have diminish the laborious work endured by the women of the 19th century.  It is interesting to note that these women did think their work was difficult and at the same time the network of housewives around them served as motivation to continue working hard everyday.  I also was a little bit curious on how they manage to do the chores like cooking,cleaning and taking care of the children,all daily activities if each of these took a day.  I concluded that they had to have had help from their children and servants.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Assignment 3 | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Modern kitchen of late 1950s

Posted on July 28, 2011 by irina.tyumentseva

I found this marvelous video archive of TV commercials of 1950s glorifying modern kitchen.  I would say that it is extension of the ideas expressed in Nickles Shelley article and the way marketing strategies evolved throughout 50s.

The first commercial I find specially significant because it sells to both working class and middle class families. First it shows working class family and the way how they can make their kitchen more modern, by buying new appliances one at the time. Ad-makers in a way show working families that they can afford their products. They also prove to families that up to date kitchen saves a lot of time and turn chore of cooking into pleasure, thus appealing to a working class housewife who perceives her chores as work. I especially admired how ad was describing old refrigerator as “too small for present day supermarket shopping habits”, so family had to buy new bigger one to fit more goods in it. Ad also showed some details, like flower-printed curtains, that working class people could relate to, which was probably based on conclusion about working class taste drawn on researches described in article we read. It also showed families prospective purchases on their way to a new shiny modern kitchen, and named it “envy of the neighborhood”, reinforcing the connection between goods that family owns and their status among peers.

Next that commercial shows the kitchen of middle class family, that is already equipped with necessary appliances.  To sell products to this family, ad makers emphasize the “look of tomorrow” that women allegedly want. They cater to middle class taste with charcoal grey appliances, using words ‘sophisticated” and “efficient”.

Clearly there is no limit to desire, families are pushed to buy newer, latest, better and in more quantities.

 

 

 

Posted in Assignment 2, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments