I've always been amazed by looking at a catalogue of the 1900's by the ingenuity of the time to try to simplify homework and cooking. There are hundreds of different designs for the same item, each pretending to be better than the other. Some were patented, but by no way this means that they were better, actually some never even worked.
I have got in front of me a thick catalogue from a French importer of American implements, dated 1914. In here, if I was a prospective customer, I had the choice between: 16 different can openers, 14 egg beaters, 4 cherry stoners, 13 peeling knives, 4 apple peelers, 8 systems to make mashed potatoes, 7 knife polishing machines, 32 corkscrews, 8 washing boards, and 4 fly traps;
There was no TV at the time and catalogues were read by the whole family under the light of a petrol lamp, every possibility deeply thought before placing an order...but who said life was simple then?????
Thierry Coudert
Classic Tools