Artefact Inspection
This artefact contains a food mixer, whipping disc, a pair of beaters, a manual and recipe book, and a warranty slip. An electrical cord is believed to have been included, although was not preserved.
Components and Observations
When first held, we noticed that this artefact felt heavier than modern hand-held mixers, and is well-made, with careful attention to its shape, color, and design details. It appeared to be composed of hard plastic, rubber, and metal.
The manufacturer label underneath informs us of the location of production (CGE's Barrie plant in Ontario, Canada), voltage capacity, and model name (M7A). Rust and a few marks of use is apparent.
The manual is sectioned into Canada's official languages, English and French. Either language is begins on either side of the booklet, meeting in the middle as a spread regarding warranty policies. The manual contains important information such as safety, instructions on how to use the product, and a selection of quick-to-make Western recipes. Included in italics within the first pages is a caution: that when the mixer is first turned on, the user may notice an odour of ozone from the motor.
We were surprised to find warranty slips in this package. We interpreted the inclusion of this as GE's efforts to build customer relations, loyalty, and product/brand longevity.
The first thing we noticed about the packaging is the neutral pastel colours, yellow, beige, and blue, as these colours are often associated with a soft, calm, and elegant aesthetic. The labels on the box use three different fonts and the GE logo appears on every side, which is unusual compared to modern packaging. This was likely due to ensuring brand visibility from all angles, making it recognizable even when displayed on store shelves or in a home setting. The packaging is intended for a gift display, either in a store or at home. This is evident from the big title “Gift Set” at the front and the pop-up on the back, which acts like an easel, allowing the box to stand up and be showcased.
Interogation Results
As we inspected the artefact, we frequently compared its design to our contemporary mixers. This led us to wonder about whether the design choices were made a result of the times it was produced in, and not just to catch the eye. We were curious to learn more of how innovative this product was during the time of its sale: if, as a tool, it were for some, life changing, and also its place in Canadian history.
We reflected on what this kind of tool enables us to achieve today–quicker production time, ease of use–and how such experiences would have been wishful before the invention of mixers around the time of this artefact's creation. Rationalizing exactly who this gift set was made for (whether for women, men, or professional bakers/chefs) was an important discussion that further steered our approach to researching the production, mediation, and consumption stages of this artefact's life.
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Note: Model M7A is one variation of its product range that is only found to differ from other models of the same design by feature and voltage capacity. Our approach to researching this artefact has, then, investigated the physicality of this range of mixers, its social and design connotations, and the society it was introduced into, among other aspects. Majority of the information found online and in archival matter concerns models M7A and M47.