My first postcard contrasts the old-fashioned Colonial era kitchen to the new style available in the early twentieth century. It's statement that "Woman today can be good cooks without spending as much time and energy in the kitchen as their grandmothers did" is still true a century later.
The next postcard shows the early twentieth century "modern" style kitchen with up-to-date conveniences and "a place for everything"
A free-standing kitchen cabinet was the latest in conveniences in 1911, but was hopelessly outdated by the 1950s.The next postcard is from 1954. By then, cabinets were built in. Iceboxes had been replaced by electric refrigerators, and wood-burning stoves had been replaced by gas and electric ranges. That's a lot of change in only about 40 years. The 1950s kitchen still looks fairly modern to me, but many people now would consider it very old-fashioned.
Today's new kitchens are different in style, but in many ways seem less "modern" than the 1960s kitchen shown in the video below. I wonder if and when computerized and interactive appliances will really become popular. I certainly don't want my refrigerator to order my groceries!
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You are able to rise to any occasion, Postcardy ;-)
ReplyDeleteTwo of my favorite topics lately have been old advertising calendars and kitchens on postcards.
DeleteNow that was a trip down memory lane -- in post cards.What I really tickled me, was the 50's card. Like we really dressed like that to cook --- well, June Cleaver, perhaps. But we wanted to look all glam in the kitchen!
ReplyDeleteLove the 1950s kitchen -- I still have those plain, wooden cabinets, and they really soak up the light. BTW, you can now buy a washing machine that will send a text to your smart phone when your laundry's done...yikes!
ReplyDeleteThose postcards made me feel nostalgic... I know I've seen one from my childhood, I just know :) The kitchen featuring the Formica table top is awesome! Makes me feel right at home..
ReplyDeletePerfect postcards, and that Frigidaire advert is a classic - mother never gets to sit down, and I really don't know why she would want to move the fridge around, but never mind! A skef cleaning oven would be good to have.
ReplyDeleteI love that hairstyle, I worked with a woman at Midwest Federal S & L in Minneapolis that looked just like her, and she even still wears her hair the same way to this day!
ReplyDeleteThat Frigidaire video was a real find and reminded me that I wanted to show an old film from the National Film and Sound Archives about life in Brisbane in the 50s...here it is for your viewing pleasure...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIJ94j8I65g - the kitchen bit is about 7 minutes in.
ReplyDeleteThe red dress would be more at home on a dance floor than in a kitchen. I love the sleeves.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun...not only vintage postcards, with kitchens from someone's imagination!...but such a silly life the Frigidare people conjured up. Love how formica was the going thing for the 50s.
ReplyDeleteNotice it’s the mothers and grandmothers, not the males, modelling the kitchen. Very nice postcards as usual.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's always male chefs in restaurant advertising.
DeleteThe rocking chair in the 1954 picture is interesting. It would be more in keeping beside a fuel stove. Some interesting thinking behind that choice.
ReplyDeleteI love the line in the video about how the modern kitchen frees up the homemaker's time for the "relaxed role as home manager" -- yeah, that's relaxing. That 50s kitchen was bigger than any 50s kitchen I lived in.
ReplyDeleteThat 1950s kitchen looks right out of Mad Men! Love those first two advertising cards. Perfection!
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