Hobart 410 Slicer

With all this meat curing, I thought I better get a slicer. In my research of latest and greatest I came across an old vintage classic that I fell in love with. The Hobart 410 is pure functional art. With its beautiful lines and sleek finish, this is one sexy object.

"The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City has included the Hobart 410 "Streamliner" meat slicer as part of an exhibition on the American Century in art and culture. The Hobart 410 slicer, designed by Egmond Arens and Theodore Brookhardt, is part of a display on the trend toward streamlined products in the 1930s and early `40s. The Hobart 410's shiny, curvy shape provided a metaphor for speed, control and progress. Troy-based Hobart producted the 410 beginning in 1944 and 94,848 units were manufactured."

"Called the “streamliner” by those who have fallen in love with its look, the Hobart 410 slicer was donated recently to the Cooper-Hewitt’s Industrial Design collection in the museum’s Product Design and Decorative Arts Department."

"Why would a renowned design museum add such a common commercial kitchen object to its collection? This model is a classic example of the successful marriage of function and style, explains Cynthia Trope, an assistant curator at the Cooper-Hewitt. The Hobart 410’s curvaceous, tear-drop shape and smooth surfaces reflect the Modernist streamline style of the 1930s and 1940s, a style that originated in aerodynamics and efforts to reduce wind resistance on airplanes, trains and other moving vehicles. Even sitting quietly on a deli counter, the Hobart 410’s graceful, rhythmic form suggests movement and speed. Yet its simple beauty also makes the 410 easy to clean, Trope says. Its smooth aluminum surface and compact design are durable and easy to wipe down—a huge benefit for restaurant and deli workers."