Sunbeam T-9 Toaster

I've previously mentioned my addiction to chrome toasters.  As I've often said, I've never met a toaster I didn't like.  Usually my wife just rolls her eyes when I come home with yet another.  But this past week while estate saling, she revealed her true self -- an enabler.  We were at an estate sale off of Gravois Road, a very crowded one, I might add.   While squeezing around, I had become separated from her.  Suddenly, she appeared before me holding this.

It's a Sunbeam model T-9 which was manufactured from 1939 to 1949. My wife liked the styling (she didn't have to sell me on it) and okayed the $8 price tag which I thought was a little high.  She mentioned there was an identical model which one of the other shoppers was carrying around, but I never did see it.

The front showcases a slightly more stylized variation of the 1939 World's Fair Trylon and Perisphere seen on Sunbeam toasters of this era which I just realized if you invert says "T9".   Hmmmmm.  I wonder if that was intentional. 

 Anyway, it's claim to fame over previous toasters was its "Keeps Toast Warm" feature. 

This knob just prevents the toast from popping up.  The heating elements still turn off, but by having the toast remain down, it will stay warm for a short period.  

It also has something I've never seen in a toaster -- an additional adjustment knob to control the amount of toasting.  In the event the Lighter/Darker knob doesn't allow for enough adjustment, there's an additional adjustment nut on the bottom of the toaster that can be revolved one direction or the other depending on your need.  The manual states this was to adjust for large voltage variations.  Mine actually required to be dialed down twice.  The only other work it required was rewiring the existing cord which was fraying near the connection.  I cut off the frayed section and rewired. It's now toasting like a champ.

The amazing thing is the features tag is still tied to the cord and is in excellent condition.  After over 60 years of toaster use, you'd think it would be stained, torn and tattered.

At the same sale, I just missed a vintage chrome GE percolator.  I broke the crystal on my Hoover several months ago and have been on the lookout for one since.  The person that grabbed it kept taking it out of the box, looking at it, putting it down, picking it up, etc.  I kept following him hoping he would put it down but he never did.  Priced at $2, it was a great deal.  Better luck next time.