-Electr-O-Matic- food slicer c. 1945 - 1950

Here's that shiny -Electr-O-Matic- food slicer by the Rival Manufacturing Company. It’s all gleaming silver metal, almost sculptural. I can just imagine the designer, maybe in the fifties, envisioning this sleek object in every suburban kitchen, dreaming of perfect, uniform slices of everything. I wonder, did they see it as a kind of functional sculpture, a marriage of form and function? There's something about its streamlined shape and the cool, reflective surfaces that makes me think of the minimalist art that would come later. I’m picturing Donald Judd buying one of these at a yard sale. Look at that big circular blade, so sharp and dangerous, contrasting with the smooth, rounded forms of the base. And all those little round holes and triangle shapes - almost like an abstract painting. It's not just a machine, it’s an object of desire. It’s all about line, form, and the promise of perfectly sliced cold cuts.