OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Rotary Models TASMA - Electric Lawnmower - c1950

Hello ODK History Lovers
This History Record records the Tasma Electric Rotary of about 1950.
This article accompanies the record for the Tasma Company [see link].

Tasma jumped on the band wagon of the post-war era to capture the emerging -
and rapidly expanding - market of consumer goods. Electric goods were all the rage ...

I have argued that our first lawnmower was the little Tecnico of 1948.

But many electrical manufacturers followed suit. Breville, Mercury and Tasma seem
to have adopted [AKA 'branded'] the Marshall electric lawnmower as their own.
A change of name plate and colours was all that was required.

Yes, I am saying that the Breville, Mercury, and Tasma were all
made by R.G. Marshall of Mascot, Sydney.

The rationale seems to be something like this: I am an old radio company.
To survive post-war, I must engage in many modern consumer products -
washing machines, fridges, vacuum cleaners, floor polishers, ... lawnmowers.
I cannot manufacture all of these - so I will brand my name on products made
outside. This appears to have been the common approach.

The little Tasma mower appears to be the rarest of them all. Sold from about
1950, these machines were distributed through the old electric retailers
(radio stores who sold Tasma radios) that would soon morph into the electrical
retailers we know today.

The earliest advertisement I have dates from very early 1951, suggesting a
start date of 1950.



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO- Specification
The specification is essentially the same as the Breville and Mercury mowers
at that time. All of them were manufactured by RG Marshall of Sydney.
This was the newer version with the larger ½ hp motor ... the 'Silent'.
Cut was just under 12 inches, chassis alloy.

I have little evidence of the Tasma branded electric mowers.
They were probably sold for about five seasons - that is, to the mid-1950s.
They were sold by at least one major department store. The price ' expensive'
for a small mower [and flex cable was extra!].



TO BE CONTINUED ...

I have very little evidence of the Tasma mower.
Just a couple of images ...

The TASMA COMPANY:-
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/84094/TASMA:_Who_Were_They?.html

BREVILLE Electric Lawnmowers:-
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/83747/BREVILLE_-_Electric_Lawnmower_.html

GMF Electric Multi-Mower:-
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/60132/GMF_MULTI-MOWER_-_c1955.html

MERCURY Electric Lawnmower:-
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=60497

SUNBEAM Electric Lawnmower:-
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/76641/SUNBEAM_Twin_Rotor_Electric_Mo.html

TECNICO Electric Lawnmower:-
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=67838


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