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K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge.
  • Image 1 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge
  • Image 2 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge
  • Image 3 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge
  • Image 4 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge
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    Image 5 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge
  • Image 6 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge
  • Image 7 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge
  • Image 8 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge
  • Image 9 of 9, K1235 'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889. Click to enlarge

Wolter & Echberg "Compressed Air" manual washing machine, 1879-1889

This piece of domestic technology is a manually operated washing machine marketed as the "Compressed Air" model and made in Melbourne by Echberg, Wolter & Co. in about 1879. Dirty clothes, soaked in hot water, soap and washing soda (sodium carbonate), were placed in the "torpedo-shaped" tub, which pivoted on a stand. The lid was sealed and by rocking the tub for about five minutes the washing was said to have been completed.

This Australian designed and made washing machine is certainly an …

Summary

Object No.

K1235

Object Statement

'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co, 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889

Physical Description

'Compressed air' manual washing machine, galvanised iron / cast iron, made by Wolter, Echberg & Co., 6 Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1879-1889

This washing machine is made of galvanised iron with a distinctive rocket or torpedo shape. A central drum, with two cone-shaped ends, contained the water and suds in which the clothes were washed. There are two riveted handles and a patent stamp in relief on the top cone, which was removable, and a rocking handle on the bottom cone. The drum is supported in a four-legged cast-iron frame in which it rocked from end-to-end to agitate the clothes.

Short URL

https://ma.as/260578

Dimensions

Height

1310 mm

Width

490 mm

Depth

660 mm

Weight

38 kg

Source

Credit Line

Purchased 1984

Acquisition Date

5 September 1984

Cite this Object

Harvard

Wolter & Echberg "Compressed Air" manual washing machine, 1879-1889 2023, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 29 March 2023, <https://ma.as/260578>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/260578 |title=Wolter & Echberg "Compressed Air" manual washing machine, 1879-1889 |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=29 March 2023 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}

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