Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

MOTORIZED BELT MASSAGER

Date Range From

1950

Date Range To

1960

Materials

STEEL, CANVAS, LEATHER

No. Pieces

4

Height

96.5

Length

84.7

Width

38.8

Description

MASSAGE MACHINE IS BEIGE IN COLOUR WITH RECTANGULAR POWER UNIT SITTING ON POLE SET ON HEAVY STEEL TAPERED BASE. POWER UNIT HAS CIRCULAR "TORCAN" LOGO AND SPINNING KNOBS ON EITHER SIDE. BASE HAS RAISED CRISS-CROSS PATTERN ON IT. MACHINE COMES WITH CREAM COLOURED CANVAS BELT WITH REINFORCED LEATHER ENDS. ALSO COMES WITH INSTRUCTION BOOKLET WITH SKETCH OF A WOMAN'S HEAD AND THE MASSAGER ON COVER WITH "MASSAGER BELT" AND "TORCAN MANUFACTURING CO.".

Subjects

PERSONAL GEAR

Historical Association

PERSONAL CARE

History

DONOR RELATES THAT HER FATHER, REV. G.G. NAKAYAMA, HAD A SPECIFIC MORNING EXERCISE REGIMEN AND THAT PART OF THE REGIMEN WAS SPENDING TIME IN THE MASSAGE MACHINE. REV. NAKAYAMA WAS VERY INTERESTED IN ALL MANNER OF PERSONAL HEALTH ISSUES. PRIOR TO BECOMING A PRIEST HE WAS PLANNING TO BE A DOCTOR. THE NAKAYAMA FAMILY WAS ORIGINALLY FROM VANCOUVER BUT MOVED TO COALDALE FOLLOWING THE SECOND WORLD WAR WHEN THEY WERE INTERNED AT SLOCAN CITY IN THE INTERIOR OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT. THE DONOR'S FATHER, REV. CANON G.G. NAKAYAMA, WAS AN ANGLICAN MINISTER IN VANCOUVER, AND THEN ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION IN COALDALE IN 1945 WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL 1970. FROM AUGUST 29 TO 31, 2011 COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED THE DONOR, JOY KOGAWA, ABOUT HER MEMORIES ASSOCIATED WITH SPECIFIC OBJECTS THAT SHE DONATED IN 1997. OF THIS ARTIFACT, KOGAWA SAID: “MY DAD WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR… WHAT HE SAID WAS THAT WHEN HIS FIRST CHILD WAS STILLBORN, THAT CHILD WAS, RIGHT UP UNTIL THE BIRTH, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY, FAT, BUT WHEN HE WAS BORN, THE CORD GOT AROUND THE NECK AND HE STOPPED BREATHING. TRAGIC, AND [MY FATHER] WAS SO HEARTBROKEN, AND SOME MINISTER COMFORTED HIM AND HE FELT THAT THE WOUNDING OF THE HEART IS WHAT HE WANTED TO FOCUS ON. SO HE DECIDED TO BECOME A MINISTER [INSTEAD OF A DOCTOR]. PLUS MY MOM WAS SO DEVOUT, AND HE WAS A METHODIST AND SHE WAS AN ANGLICAN, AND SO, FOR THE SAKE OF THE FAMILY, I GUESS, HE BECAME AN ANGLICAN… [BUT] HE HAD A LOT OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, THINGS FOR HEALING...” SEE RECORD P19970041001 FOR EXPANDED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND PERMANENT FILE FOR FURTHER HISTORY.

Catalogue Number

P19970041878

Acquisition Date

1997-01

Collection

Museum

Less detail