Lookie what I won!

[Brneyedgrl80]

A Mary Proctor toaster!!

I simply cannot resist anything with starburst on it, though I hardly own any starburst stuff, lol

Usually items with starburst decor go for a high amount, but this was a great price.

Quick question, is Mary Proctor the same company as Proctor-Silex? Was there a buyout at some point?

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[jasonl]

That toaster looks like a 2-slice version of a P-S toaster my parents owned. But ours didn't have the starburst pattern. Groovy.

 

[launderess]

Have lots of "Mary" Proctor appliances and even one book (on ironing). Near as one can figure out the company was "Proctor Electric Company" and Mary Proctor was the daughter of one of the "Proctors" (perhaps founder's grand-daughter or daughter, daughter of the managing director, who knows,but she was a Proctor).

Any who Mary Proctor began to appear on all and sundry appliances from toasters to irons and ironing equipemnt, right up through the 1960s or so. My vintage "Never Lift" irons all say "Proctor Electric", but the 1960's Teflon coated soleplate is a "Mary Proctor".

In answer to your original question: In 1920, the Philadelphia Textile Machinery Company, founded in 1885, formed Proctor & Schwartz, Inc. Seeking new thermostat technology, Proctor & Schwartz, Inc. formed Proctor & Schwartz Electric Company. In about 1960, Proctor & Schwartz Electric became interested in the Silex Company, a manufacturer of coffeemakers and irons.

On March 1, 1960, the Proctor and Silex companies merged with great success to offer consumers a wide array of appliances. The new company was known as the Proctor-Silex Corporation. The company had many firsts: the first silent toaster, first electric glass coffeemaker, first cord-attached iron, first toaster oven/broiler, first pop-up toaster/toaster oven, first adjustable automatic iron, first snap-apart line of serviceable kitchen appliances, and first see-through steam iron water tank.

Launderess

 

[cadman]

Nice Score.... Never seen one like this before, very Modern!

Cory

 

[bostonwash]

excellent find

Looks like new! Mary would be so proud.

 

[Kevinpreston3]

Launderess great info!

I can never get enough of how companies came to be and what happened to them. There is a dearth of that kind of information.

Interestingly, I have a "Silex", no Proctor electric juicer!!!

 

[petek]

Proctor Silex was later bought out by SCM I believe.
The snap apart appliances Laundress mentioned were sold using the name Lifelong, the idea was if any part of your toaster, iron etc broke you just snapped the broken module out and put in a new one. Never flew but layed an egg.

 

[jetcone]

Laundress

Love the Company info! You're a font of Knowledge.

Jet

 

[Versatronic]

Beautiful

Nice snag. I had that toaster bookmarked and was considering bidding, but decided to let it pass. I'm glad you got it.

 

[foraloysius]

Stylish toaster!! Congratulations!!

 

[launderess]

It really is amazing from an appliance point of view how many old companies are now part of large corporations, even if in name only. Who remembers RCA? Knapp-Monarch? Farberware? And the list goes on.

If anyone is into "ironing" and finds a copy of Mary Proctor's book on ironing I well recommend it as a good read. Apparently Miss. Proctor took her job seriously and spent hours researching, talking with women all across the country with one aim; to make the tiring chore of laundering and ironing for women easier. This was the 1930's and 1940's so one can imagine how much laundry and ironing Her Indoors had to cope with, so anything that could reduce time spent doing that dreaded chore was seen as good. As for Moi, now know not only how to iron sheets and table cloths faster, but bras, men's shorts, little girls puffed sleeve dresses, slips, men's shirts and of course men's wool coats. *LOL*

Launderess

 

[launderess]

Silex

If one is into vacuum coffee, look closely and you'll see most of the equipment was "Silex" not "Proctor-Silex". The Silex name appeared on some great coffee makers well up until the 1970's or so. Now think they just make the same awful stuff everyone else does.

Launderess

 

[Brneyedgrl80]

Hey thanks Laundress for all the info! I thought it had to be the same company. Not too many companies with the name Proctor in it! lol

Versatronic, if I hadn't of won it, I wouldn't of minded if I knew someone on this board got it. Cause then I knew it would be going to a good home.

Well, now I just have to wait for it to arrive. I paid for it today. Hopefully I'll get it next week sometime!