I'm thinking that might be a pretty fancy electric washer for the times. It looks much fancier than my mom's.

Was, "in jig time" a common expression?

l.e. on 3rd January 2014 @ 7:03am

What made it cost more was it has a spin drier feature to it.

charlott on 3rd January 2014 @ 7:05am

Maytag was still making white gas powered washing machines until 1952 as rural America was becoming "electrified" and the electric washer above gained favor.
The electric washing machine was more convenient to use....no need to mix fuel and oil for the motor, no smell, much quieter operation and the maintenance issues went away.

dsc on 3rd January 2014 @ 7:23am

Writing from Oaxaca Mexico, I am watching a woman using a machine similar to this (though open-topped) washing linens. Not many appliances made today would last that long...

Rawhyde on 3rd January 2014 @ 7:40am

Yes, I remember well Hackett Furniture, grandfather Purl Sheirbon worked for them when he and Della moved in from Odell. Appears this machine also had a "suds saver"; but no wringer?. No clue where the term "jig time" came from but remember it being used. Isn't that "reddy kilowatt" in the advertisement? Never thought of putting flowers on our washing machine....

Arlen Sheldrake on 3rd January 2014 @ 8:05am

dsc.....I have used those gas ones, in the remote areas of British Columbia where neither power nor generators had arrived to make life easier. Heated water on the wood stove and then packed it out to the machine in an outside shed.
At 30º below zero, getting clean clothes became even harder.

l.e. on 3rd January 2014 @ 9:54am

Sounds like fun l.e. In one camp that was built on a barge we used the ultimate "green" machine. String a rope through your clothes and throw them over the side and let a few tides agitate them clean.

Buzz on 3rd January 2014 @ 10:44am

l.e. Two of those old Maytag washing machine motors are still in use. Ruth Blackburn's 3 wheeler/high wheel trike is powered by a 1928 motor and her "Gorge Girls" surf board is powered by a 1937 Maytag motor....these motors were called "hit-miss" due to the way they ran....pop-pop-pop-pop....
Ruth is now 86 years young and still rides both "creations" at WAAAM, on "Second Saturday" of the month and our 4th of July Parade in Hood River.

dsc on 3rd January 2014 @ 11:07am

The phrase "in jig time" started when people were dancing jigs and reels - they were quick and lively and it became the phrase you would use when you wanted something to go fast - hence, a washer that would get your clothes clean quickly. No one uses the phrase any longer except old-timers like me ;-)

Jill Stanford on 3rd January 2014 @ 12:36pm

Arlen, the machine above would spin the clothes "damp dry" and eliminated the clothes wringer......as we all know, those wringers were dangerous!
I remember my mother bought a Thor Gladiron 'Mangle iron" about 1952.
It sped up ironing...operated on the same principle as the clothes wringer.
I got pretty good ironing my dress shirts and pants, but you had to be careful not to burn yourself or "toast" a shirt.

dsc on 3rd January 2014 @ 2:42pm

Jig Time is no longer politicaly correct. It was associated with African Amercan show dancing i.e. Jigaboo, jiggers etc.

Bill P.

Bill P. on 3rd January 2014 @ 9:49pm

I believe the jig was actually developed in England. Don't think it had any negative racial conotations. I think it has the same origin as the word jig used in fishing which means to bounce up and down. I seem to remember reading that the British navy had their sailors dance to jig to keep in shape on long sea voyages.

Longshot2 on 4th January 2014 @ 12:02am

Bill P is correct. It was something that pretty well went out of existence before the term "politically correct" came into existence. Today the term "politically correct" has been taken to absurdity in my humble opinion.

Buzz on 4th January 2014 @ 6:32am

Interesting comments on "jig", especially with the reference in the display to "blue monday", which refers to words from a classic blues song, but probably dates to a Gershwin Harlem influenced jazz opera. Now put that in context with the aforementioned cost of the machine, and think about the folks who could afford that then - would many of them had "washer women" of African American heritage?

Spinsur on 4th January 2014 @ 8:00am

Bill, I have enjoyed your insights from the past, and am sure Charlotte will appreciate your help in putting something together in the spring that both locals and out of towners will enjoy.

Buzz on 4th January 2014 @ 9:11am

Thanks l.e. for volunteering to help. Looking forward to a spring day in Hood River.

Buzz on 4th January 2014 @ 7:04pm

My pleasure all. To begin with, we will have to develope a mail list of all interested people that can get together to prepare the program plan. How about sending me your e-mal addresses (confidentle) to start with the plannig? Some thoughts that come to mine would be to have a lunch at the Museum with a Q & A to incude Connie, Arthur and Matt to give us the organization and then move on to any number of topics of interest. ( I think we should limit the discussion and Q & A time to one week)

Let me know your thoughts, Bill Pattison pattison@gorge.net

Bill P. on 4th January 2014 @ 9:14pm

That " Easy-Spin" washer was produced in the sixties also. When I moved from back East it came to Hood River with me and was a wonderful washing machine. You still had to have rinse tubs, but the spinner basket really eliminated most of the water so that you could hang your clothes outside and they would dry "in jig" time. I used it until the seventies when I got my first automatic washer at Paddock's.

Judy on 6th January 2014 @ 12:32am

I think blue Monday came from the old routine: Monday was washing day, Tuesday was...(I don't remember)
Housewives had a weekly routine and Monday was always clothes washing day - Not the favorite day because clothes washing was so cumbersome and hard...
I never would have guessed that a machine would have cost that much back then!

Kate on 6th January 2014 @ 9:01am

I would have thought the word "blue" referred to laundry bluing used to improve the white in white fabrics.

Steve on 22nd January 2014 @ 9:55am