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K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge.
  • Image 1 of 8, K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge
  • Image 2 of 8, K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge
  • Image 3 of 8, K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge
  • Image 4 of 8, K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge
  • +4
    Image 5 of 8, K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge
  • Image 6 of 8, K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge
  • Image 7 of 8, K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge
  • Image 8 of 8, K325 Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938. Click to enlarge

'Universal' electric washing machine by Landers Frary & Clark

Throughout the 1800s and into the first half of the 1900s washing clothes was a laborious and time consuming weekly chore which took a full day to complete, usually on a Monday. This machine was certainly an improvement on the hard work of scrubbing clothes against a washboard in a tub but it still required a considerable amount of labour. This was to fill and empty the machine twice by hand, to wash, squeeze out and then rinse and remove the heavy wet washing, wring it out again and then hang …

Parts of this object

On display
K325-1 'Universal' electric washing machine with wringer, agitator type, metal, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, New Britain, Connecticut, United States of America, c. 1929.
'Universal' electric washing machine by Landers, Frary & Clark
c. 1929
K325-4 Letter, two pages, paper, W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1938
Letter describing repairs for 'Universal' washing machine
1938
K325-2 Instruction booklet for washing machine, 'Universal', paper, Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929
Instruction booklet for 'Universal' washing machine
c. 1929
K325-3 Advertising pamphlet, for 'Universal' electric washing machine, paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, New Britain, Connecticut, United States of America, c. 1929
Advertising pamphlet for 'Universal' electric washing machine
c. 1929

Summary

Object No.

K325

Object Statement

Washing machine, 'Universal', agitator type, with wringer, instruction booklet and documents (2), metal / paper, made by Landers, Frary & Clark, United States of America, c. 1929 / W G Watson & Co Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia, 1938

Physical Description

'Universal' domestic electric agitator type washing machine and electric wringer with an instruction manual and brochure. Also a description of repairs to the washing machine by W G Watson & Co P/L.

Washing machine consists of a copper drum, supported on three legs of pressed iron sheeting which are attached to a ring around the base of the tub, extending up the sides to a ring band around the rim of the tub. Three shaft supports to the legs above bases are supported on castors. The tub is painted light green and over painted in reddish brown, the interior is lined with nickel. The motor is attached below the tub, with separate switch caseing, hand spring lever and drainage cock. A rubber coated electric cord extends from the switch casing. A galvanised oscillating disc with four raised ridges, positioned at centre base inside the drum with copper tube above with galvanised screw top for removal. The electric wringer is positioned horizontally above the tub, swings on a side shaft, which extends to the motor below. Tinned iron feeder trays either side of two [rubber] rollers. The tension is maintained by an arched strip of iron above the rollers, with central wing nut on vertical threaded shaft used to apply pressure.

Paper bound booklet, stapled in centre, printed text and illustrations in two colours and monochrome, title page, 34 pages. Front cover illustrates two models of the Universal washer and wringer beneath a woman hanging out washing. Contains information on 'modern laundering', including separating whites from colours, washing woollens, fine silks, rayons, pillows, laces, diapers and curtains, sprinkling and ironing.

Advertising brochure, double sided, folded in three, printed text and illustrations in blue. Contains advertising information for the 'New Apartment Model' Universal Electric washer.

Business letter, typed text on letterhead, 2 pages. Contents include a description of repairs made to the 'Universal' washing machine by W G Watson & Co Limited, Sydney in June 1938.

Marks

see parts for marks information

Short URL

https://ma.as/261826

Dimensions

Height

1130 mm

Weight

67 kg

Source

Credit Line

Gift of M Hordern, 1980

Acquisition Date

22 July 1980

Cite this Object

Harvard

'Universal' electric washing machine by Landers Frary & Clark 2023, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 2 April 2023, <https://ma.as/261826>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/261826 |title='Universal' electric washing machine by Landers Frary & Clark |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=2 April 2023 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}

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