OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Company Histories SCOTT BONNAR - Depression Ware Products - c1930s

PART TWO - The ESBE Bean Slicer

In the 'good old days' kitchen products were not throw-away items. The Esbe Bean Slicer was a
quality product that had replaceable parts, and the blades could be re-sharpened.

These were sold in volume and advertised widely. I'm sure many would survive to this day, and
be in perfect running order. I know the Powerhouse Museum has one in its collection, but it has
wrongly been identified as being of English manufacture:-


http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=259910

Here are some typical newsprint advertisements from SA newspapers. Note how one is named the
Esbe 'Centenary' Bean Slicer, to commemorate South Australia's Centenary celebrations of 1936.





I have no doubt that the origin or idea for this product came from Mr. Scott Bonnar himself.
I have discussed in these History Forums his first invention, a Green Feed Cutter, designed to
cut grasses, vegetable and fruit scraps for feeding poultry. This bean slicer cut a vegetable
for the kitchen table.

In a letter book that survives as part of the Bonnar Collection at the State Library of South
Australia, Malcolm Bonnar discusses a sales trip (in his abbreviated style) to Western Australia
in 1932. The context is a visit to Boans, a well-known Perth department Store:-



This great story also reveals a theme in Scott Bonnar's history - patriotism. Right from the
earliest days, the Scott Bonnar Company promoted pride in being Australian-made. If a local
product was as good or better, then Australians should support the local product. I might add,
Scott Bonnar's first lawnmower (not a converted import) was the Queen City. The 'Queen City'
was no city half way round the world from Australia; it was, however, a city named after a Queen.

The city was ... Adelaide, the home of the great Australian firm, Scott Bonnar.

The rest is history.
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JACK