Toaster

Long toasting forks, toasting racks or metal structures are all good ways of toasting bread on the stove. In 1893, Scotsman Alan MacMaster changed all that by inventing the electric toaster. Of course, it wasn’t until electricity was widespread enough in the home that this invention became more accessible. Even so, it was General Electric’s famous D-12 model, from 1909, that launched the commercial success of this small appliance. It was the standardization of sliced bread a few decades later that made this appliance a must-have in almost every kitchen.
The toaster shown here was sold on the 2nd floor of Dupuis Frères in the 1920s. In Montreal, towards the end of the 19th century, a second downtown pole was created around Sainte-Catherine Street, as the retail trade followed its clientele. A new phenomenon was born: the department store. A space where everything is sold in one place (unlike the specialized shop). The first in Montreal was Henry Morgan in 1891. Murphy, Ogilvy, Scroggie and Hamilton followed. But it was the 1920s that represented the golden age of these shops, with, among others, Dupuis Frères, a must-visit destination for Francophones, doubling in size.