28/03/2017
THE LAZIEST SERVANT IN THE WORLD:)
We love discovering the curious histories behind household items so when we acquired a gorgeous Art Deco Lazy Susan from a market in Antwerp, Belgium (see photo below), we wondered who Susan might have been. There seems to be a lot of speculation on this. One of the stories is that Thomas Jefferson invented it for his daughter because she often complained that by the time the food went around the table there was almost nothing left for her.
However, there’s no proof that he was its inventor. What historians can tell us is that it dates back to 18th century England when household servants were in decline. Diners found it onerous to stretch across the table - their meals consisted of many courses so stretching across the table at dinner time might be a serious workout. A revolving tray in the middle of the table solved the problem.
Back in the 18th century, however, they were known as dumbwaiters. The name Lazy Susan seems to have emerged in the 20th century, possibly after the black-eyed susan, a type of daisy. Certainly, the one we have in store bears an intriguing resemblance to the black-eyed susan. It operates on ball bearings, rotating smoothly, and is a stunning piece of Art Deco design.
Check out the article below for more information. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2010/03/lazy-susan-history-who-invented-mystery.html
