What is the point and purpose of an old-fashioned bread box in the kitchen?

Question

My father has died, and I just took the monumental step of tossing out 2 keystones of the kitchen that have been there "forever" (in my memory, anyway, which stretches back to the 1940's). One is a hand-made wooden flat step stool, built of layered pieces of wood to a height of a foot or so high. The second was our "forever" bread box which stood on the kitchen counter through all of my memory. It is metal inside, yellow paint on the outside (painted by me with rooster/hen decal decorations. the front lift-down door has a built in bread board. And high up on the sides are 2 series of vent holes.
(Both items were in poor condition and badly painted, so they're gone.)

Does anyone know the origin of the venerable bread box, and how it was first used? The vent holes seem fairly useless. And it seems like any style box could hold bread--or these days, I throw loaves in the fridge.

As I handled this historic item, I just got real curious. Serious replies only. thanks.

Answer 1

Before refrigerators and the advent of commercially made baked goods, the breadbox was necessary.

First off, the breadbox protected bread and other baked goods from mice and if screened insects, by providing a physical barrier.

Secondly, a proper breadbox will have a metal interior and tight fitting door, as metal helps keep moisture inside the box. As well as small air vents. Modern knockoffs are all wood and are useless, because the wood absorbs moisture,

The combination of the metal interior, tight door and venting, allowed the homemaker to bake once per week and to keep her efforts reasonably fresh throughout the week.

Once commercial bakers came along, the combination of low cost baked goods and preservatives, pretty much killed off domestic bread making.

When refrigerators came into use, many people tossed the bread in them and that took care of pests.

To the day my grandmother died, she kept the old breadbox she had since the 1920's. She used it to hold her tomatoes however, as she kept her bread in the "icebox" as she called it.

I wouldn't toss out the breadbox though, there are people who pay good money for them, if their real and not modern knockoffs.

Answer 2

Wooden Bread Box

Answer 3

If your memory goes back to the 40"s you should remember the old pantries. They were largely a cupboard that was vented to the outside of the house(on the shady side of the house) to keep things from getting moldy by circulating air. When we started getting ice boxes (not refrigerators) we needed some place to put the bread where it would be vented so the bread box came into being. The vent holes allowed air circulation. In those days there were not the preservatives they put in bread today. So I keep mine in the refrigerator.

Answer 4

Why use a bread box?
Bread boxes prolong the freshness of your homemade bread, in fact all bread is better for eating if you learn how to preserve it.

There are old fashioned wooden bread boxes that give bread a characteristic aroma depending on the wood used for its manufacturing. These boxes allow you to keep the bread fresh up to one week during the summer months and longer during the winter.

Other vintage-style bread boxes are made of metal, in fact, many people have one of these, which belonged to their mothers or grannies, allowing you to store bread for whole weeks. Metal boxes, however, may create a moist environment, that increases the growth of mold in soft fresh bread.

Answer 5

it was to keep the bread fresh and free from mold (the holes) at the time it worked , or so it seemed , oh and when the bread dried ( with no mold ) THEY USES IT FOR BREAD CRUMBS, injoy

Answer 6

I don't use mine for bread; I hide stuff in it that I want on the counter but not "out on the counter."

Answer 7

It was to hide your stale bread from prying neighbor eyes.