MACHINE, WASHING

Description: HAS A SHALLOW SQUARE TUB. TOP OF TUB IS SILVER, REST OF MACHINE IS PAINTED A LIGHT GREYISH-GREEN. FAINTLY LEGIBLE ON FRONT OF TUB IS "MAYTAG". STAMPED INTO LIP ON FRONT OF TUB IS "500651Z". LID ON TUB IS ON HINGES AND IS SMALLER THAN TUB. INSIDE TUB IS A STEEL GYRATOR. TUB STANDS ON FOUR LEGS WITH CASTORS. ON FRONT LEFT LEG IS A STEEL ROD WITH A ROUND, BLACK, BAKELITE HANDLE THAT TURNS MACHINE OFF AND ON. THERE IS A SQUARE BRACE NEAR BOTTOM OF LEGS. MOUNTED ON TOP OF TUB IS A WRINGER WITH 2 ROLLERS - TOP ONE IS BLACK, BOTTOM ONE IS WHITE (CRACKING). EMBOSSED ON TOP OF WRINGER IS "MAYTAG". TO LEFT OF WRINGER IS A HANDLE WITH AN ARROW EMBOSSED ON IT FOR "OFF/ON". ON RIGHT SIDE OF WRINGER IS A LABEL THAT IS CREST SHAPED AND READS "MAYTAG". THERE IS A MOTOR UNDERNEATH TUB WITH A LABEL ON IT THAT READS "CANADIAN GENERAL ELECTRIC". THERE IS ALSO A RUBBER HOSE, WITH A TAP AT END, AND A BLACK ELECTRICAL CORD THAT COME FROM UNDERNEATH TUB.

History: DONOR'S MOTHER USED WASHING MACHINE. SHE REFUSED TO USE NEWER MACHINES, AND KEPT USING THIS OLDER STYLE UNTIL ONE DAY WHEN SHE PUT HER HAND THROUGH THE WRINGER. FOR HISTORY ON THE HARPER FAMILY SEE P19970093001-GA. *UPDATE* IN A 2024 COLLECTION AUDIT OF OFFSITE ITEMS, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT TESS MCNAUGHTON WAS ABLE TO CONTACT THE DONORS NEXT-OF-KIN. THE FOLLOWING IS FROM EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH DONOR’S DAUGHTER, LIANA HARPER. “THE WASHING MACHINE WAS MY GRANDMA’S, FRANCES HARPER’S. SHE LIVED TO 3 DAYS SHY OF 107 YRS OLD, BORN IN 1897 AND SEEING THE PASSAGE OF TWO CENTURIES…THIS WAS HER WASHING MACHINE INCLUDING A WRINGER FOR GETTING THE WATER OUT OF THE CLOTHES AND THEN HANG-DRYING FOR THE FINAL DRYING. I REMEMBER SHE OCCASIONALLY GOT A FEW OF HER FINGERS PINCHED THROUGH THE RINGER WHEN GETTING THE WATER OUT OF CLOTHES. SHE LIVED IN HER OWN HOUSE JUST WEST OF THE HOSPITAL ON 9 AVE UNTIL SHE WAS 99 ½ YRS OLD. SHE USED THIS WASHING MACHINE ALMOST UNTIL THE END.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, INCLUDING OBITUARIES AND OTHER ITEMS DONATED BY THE DONOR, PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE.