Toast to the Bride - sculpture about marriagePhotography by Philip Cohen

Toast to the Bride - sculpture about marriage

Photography by Philip Cohen

As the toaster opens, the bride (standing on a pedestal of Wonder Bread) rises from the quilted white satin interior. “The toast is completely saturated with polyester resin. It should last for a lifetime.”

While the quilted white satin interior could be like a jewel box, it could also be a coffin. When I was growing up, marriage was the first step in limiting a woman’s potential.

Toast to the Bride is not a found object, but constructed by hand as a commentary about the value of manufactured objects in our consumer society. 

This is a copper construction with nickel-plated finish. Polished black nylon ends. I constructed the entire object. The mechanism is based on a Victorian Biscuit Warmer which you can see below.

6.5" height x 5" width closed (13" open) x 7" depth

Available for exhibition or purchase.


© Harriete Estel Berman, 1982, 2021

Design and historical inspiration behind “Toast to the Bride”

Vintage Sunbeam Toaster Ad that inspired the styling for Toast to the Bride

Many of "The Family of Appliances You Can Believe In" were inspired by vintage 20th century ads that "sold" domestic bliss as in this vintage ad for a Sunbeam Toaster from a mid-20th century women's magazine.

This article from a mid-20th century women’s magazine showcases early industrial designers and the domestic appliances that benefited from their design innovations.

This article from a mid-20th century women’s magazine showcases early industrial designers and the domestic appliances that benefited from their design innovations.

Victorian Biscuit Warmer
Victorian Biscuit Warmer close up

This reproduction of a Victorian Biscuit Warmer (shown above) was the basis for the mechanism for “Toast to the Bride”