Here’s a problem for you…I was sent a question by someone and hoping someone can help out.
The question is – what is the picture of, or more specificially is it a ‘baguette guillotine’!
I believe the answer could well be yes, I think I’ve seen a similar thing used in a restaurant. But it seems unlikely that a bread cutter would be painted so i’m guessing that would have been added later.
I asked daughters French boyfriend if he had seen one in his grandma’s house – “No, but I think I have seen something like that used for cutting people’s hands off in the old days” was his suggestion. No idea if he was serious!
Apparently the item is about 100 years old and was bought by someone in France who was told it was definitely for cutting baguettes. You can see more pictures here if that helps.
ps did you know the guillotine was indeed invented by a Dr Joseph-Ignace Guillotin as part of reforms to capital punishment during the French revolution – it was decided that ‘Whenever the Law imposes the death penalty, irrespective of the nature of the offense, the punishment shall be the same: decapitation, effected by means of a simple mechanism‘ and the guillotine seemed the best solution.
pps sorry for the dreadful pun in the title
Vague memory of seeing one of these in a folkore museum…for cutting bread…but it was a long time ago!
And Dr. Guillotin perished under the blade of his invention, I think…
I’d go with bread cutter and the dark red paintwork would be good for hiding the blood stains if used too enthusiastically.
Bread idea seems favorite to me but have you considerd asparagus cutter.
Hi Steve,
No, hadn’t thought of that – i’m guessing a machine like this is overkill for asparagus but who knows?