Thanks to Our Friend, Acme Ron

Due to the volume of reader mail, we have had to separate our treatment of kitchen appliances into separate pages so that the vast quantity of photos will download in something like real time:

• Click here for information about Westinghouse Roasters
  
• Click here for information about Coffee Paraphernalia
  
• Click here for information about Kitchen Mixers
  
• Click here for information about Toasters
  
• Click here to see the complete restoration of a Toast-O-Lator
  
• Irons and Ironing
• Remodeling a Retro Kitchen for less than $1000.

Posted 12-31-2007

This is the famous Sunbeam Egg Poacher. I do not have one of these, but my reader Lynne sent me in a photo of her astoundiing collection and I felt that I must share it with others.

Lynne's Astounding Collection of Poachers

The Sunbeam egg poacher is basically a teakettle -- there is an electric heating element that boils a small amount of water. In turn, the steam cooks eggs in a variety of styles. Shown below is the egg rack that makes hard- or soft- boiled eggs. There is also a tray insert for making poached eggs.

Ready to Poach


Eggs Ready to Eat

Lynne writes:

... I've been collecting and using them for years. I give them to my friends who also rave about them. I didn't see any mention of them on your wonderful site (we found it after we bought a Westinghouse roaster at an estate sale for $2.50!) Anyway, these are the best for poaching and boiling eggs. As you can see I can't stop buying them. There are two types. I prefer the ones with the solid black handle (and give the ones with the plastic measuring thingy to my friends). They sell quite well on eBay. ...

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Posted 02-25-05

This is the famous Revere Ware whistling teakettle. These have been around since 1950 and are still sold today. They work very well and I still use mine on a daily basis.

Mr. W. A. Welden's Patent for the Revere Teakettle

The Whistling Teakettle was designed by William A. Welden of the Revere Copper and Brass Company of Stamford, Connecticut, a well-known maker of fine Art deco chrome and copper objects. This was part of the company's "Revere-Ware" line which featured stainlesss steel cooking appliances with copper-clad bottoms. The line is still made today and the teakettle sells for about $25 -- however, if you want to buy a real vintage item, make sure that the "trigger" for the spout is fully enclosed.

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Posted 01-05-05

This is a picture of Karyn in the Retro Kitchen with our newest acquisition, the Dulane FryRyte. Karyn is wearing a promotional apron made of tasteful yellow plastic. The cartoon housewives on the apron extol the virtues of the FryRyte. (This apron was the generous gift of our friends Catherine and David Seng, thank you, thank you)

In recent memory, the latest manufacturers of the FryRyte have used the slogan "Straighten Up and Fry Right!" so there is even a tangential connection between this appliance and swing dancing. However, the introduction of the FryRyte marks a fairly significant epoch in American cooking. Fried foods are nothing new. However, properly fried home-cooked foods were a real scarcity until this device entered the market. To wit, most texts on cooking set the following standards for deep frying:

• Deep, clean peanut oil (1-2 quarts of oil; strain it after each use and throw it out after a few uses)
• Perfect temperature (365 degrees), heated slowly and never allowed to smoke
• Cook only a few pieces at a time, the perfect length of time
• Remove with tongs or a wire basket (not a slotted spoon), and drain on racks (not paper towels)

Prior to this invention, most people did not have the patience, budget, or equipment to do this at home

All of this brings us to Stanley J. Budlane and Robert Dusek of Chicago Illinois. In the postwar era, Americans developed quite a taste for Hamburgers and French Fries. Although anyone could make a burger, good fries were (and still are) a real rarity. After sampling fried chcken, fish, onion rings and potatoes all over the Midwest, Budlane and Dusek pooled their ingenuity to create the FryRyte (they also pooled their names, calling the company "DULANE"). Their creation took most of the guesswork out of frying.

They were among the first to systematically study the actual chemistry of frying. Through experimentation, they developed the optimum temperature for various fats and determined the depth of cooking liquid that was required to fry food both properly and economically. Prior to Budlane and Dusek, the volume of liquid and its temperature was a hit-or-miss prospect -- most people tried to fry chicken in a shallow skillet that left a portion unheated leading to a soggy, greasy mess. The old Southern "Fish Fry" tradition of a large cast iron kettle filled with molten lard led to tasty food, but required a considerable volume of oil and was suitable only for large gatherings. Without the ability to control temperature, it is quite easy to overheat the oil leading to very nasty-tasting oxidation products (that we also know today to be carcinogens!) Finally, all those little particles of food that break free can also oxidize and ruin the oil. Thus, if you wanted good fried food you had to use a lot of fat and then throw it away.

Budlane and Dusek changed all this with the FryRyte, introducing the following features:

• A cast aluminum shell that provides sufficient volume for properly frying food while minimizing the amount of fat needed (the dimensions of the rectangular area are part of the patent)
• The cross section of the shell is designed to create a uniform cooking temperature (Thicker at the bottom than the top)
• Placement of cooking wires and thermostat sensors to assure uniform temperature below the flash point of the oil
• A "well" in the base of the cooking chamber with lower temperature to prevent crumbs and particles from oxidizing
• A specially designed basket to hold the food during cooking and to facillitate draining of fat from the food

In addition to this, Budlane and Dusek also devised a very attractive design for the exterior of the cooker that is so distinctive as to be almost "generic" for deep fat fryers

Click here if you want to learn how to get Patent Drawings

The response was enthusiastic -- the FryRyte became an instant hit. [Note below that Dusek and Budlane offered hundreds of taste tempting recipes in the books and manuals that accompanied the appliance.] Families across America enjoyed their newfound Postwar prosperity with fried foods by the ton, instilling a taste for breaded and fried goodies that has led, some 55 years later, to our National Obesity Epidemic.

The Dulane company passed first to NESSCO and then to Sunbeam. The FryRyte is still made and follows the original specifications. Our "Hat's Off" to Budlane and Dusek, although the "Fat's On" due to their creation...

By the way: If you drop onion rings, shrimp or green beans into hot oil, take them out and drain them, they absorb little or no oil. But most deep-fried foods are first coated in a batter (flour, egg, breadcrumbs) because that's what makes them crispy. This coating absorbs the oil -- less if it's fried "perfectly", but still more than non-fried foods. It's not just added calories that make deep-fried food less healthful; it's the high heat. The crunchy coatings of fried foods are primarily starch; so are potatoes (French fries). When starches and sugars are browned in hot oil, they form Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE's), that are carcinogens.

What about deep-fried foods in restaurants? Fried foods in fast food and most other chain restaurants (french fries, onion rings, chicken nuggets, etc.) are loaded with partially hydrogenated fats, in addition to the AGE's.

If you love fried foods, make them an occasional treat, not everyday fare. Order your deep-fried foods at better restaurants and ask whether they start with fresh potatoes or other foods, not frozen; and fry in liquid oil, not Crisco. (Frozen french fries and other frozen foods for frying virtually always contain partially hydrogenated oils.)

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Posted 05-04-03

This was sent in by our friend Vicki from Olympia, Washington

Vicki found it at a flea market for 50 cents. She got a GREAT DEAL! Super-Maid Cookware was imported from Switzerland in the 1920s and 1930s when aluminum was scarce and expensive. A lot of this stuff gotdonated to "scrap drives" during WWII when aluminum was in demand for airplanes.

This particular object is a fish poacher.

If you collect Super-Maid cookware, here is a source for you:

Your Work Room Equipped for Better Cooking with less Work undated, 5x8, 16p, softbound, black/white, Super Maid Cook-Ware Content: The Aristocrat of Cooking Utensils, Chicago, IL, undated [possibly circa 1915 from the near ankle-length dress the cook is wearing], promotional booklet issued by the Super Maid Cook-Ware Corp. The "Super-Aluminum" that is imported from Switzerland that is used to make pots, pans, tea kettles, coffee pots, roasters, griddles, waffles, omelet pans, etc, includes recipes with illustrations showing the cookware in use.

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Posted 01-31-03

We got very lucky at an estate sale -- we found a box in an attic with a large number of appliances that had NEVER BEEN USED! The house had been owned by people who obviously knew quality. Our guess is that these were gifts of one sort or another that never quite got used, sort of like those fruitcakes, wine chillers, or exotic tea assortments that come from distant but well-meaning business associates. There is nothing actually wrong with them, but they get put in the back of the closet and forgotten. We were particularly impressed with this "REX-RAY" sandwich grill that had been purchased in a Rexall Drugstore. This is a copy of a Manning-Bowman appliance, but in every respect, it is lighter, less flexible and more cheaply made. For example, the bakelite handles are only an eighth of an inch thick. The heating wires are spaced an inch apart, where they would be a fourth of an inch apart in a Sunbeam appliance. Everything has been made just a bit lighter so that it could be sold cheaper. In the 1930s, drugstores were the equivalent of today's discount stores. On our Fan Page, we discuss the so-called "Drugstore Fans" that are collectible because not many of them survived the test of time... So it is for other electrical appliances.

We were fortunate to find this with its original sales tag still attached. The tag says that this is the "Rex-Ray Grill and Sandwich Toaster Model X126" --- in fact, this is a Fostoria Sandwich Grill made by the Bersted Manufacturing Company of Fostoria, Ohio. It is their Model 350, and draws 500 Watts at 115 Volts. We note that the Rexall guarantee requires you to return the object to the "Rex Ray Service Station" (no street address given...) in of all places, Fostoria, Ohio. This object cost $7.25 at your local Rexall Pharmacy.

This cheesy and cheap object also stands as an object lesson. Let us move from the depths of Art Deco design to the Heights --- The Manning-Bowman Company was considered to be the "Cadillac" of marks, making products which found their way into the homes of the very wealthy to the more humble homes of the middle class. Whether is was a butler, maid, or homemaker who served guests in ware made by Manning-Bowman, the items were always well-designed and seemed to last forever. This of course can be a problem if you are trying to make consumer goods. Nevertheless, authentic Manning-Bowman products, especially those with the "M-B Means Best" logo are among the most prized deco artifacts. In 1941, Manning Bowman was sold to the Bersted Manufacturing Company of Fostoria, Ohio. Most of the well-known appliances designs for which the Manning-Bowman company were know before war now were moved to the Ohio location. The post-war period proved a difficult one for the company. It tried to re-introduce wares for the American home, but as its designs had not changed much from its heyday in the Art Deco period, it met with limited consumer acceptance. What was left was the Drugstore market. By 1951, the company had closed. Our poor little drugstore grill is yet more evidence of the effect of corporate shennanigans on quality. You will see this theme repeated throughout these pages. Corporate takeovers result in low quality products and eventually the public catches on!

Click Here for a more detailed discussion of Manning-Bowman designs to contrast them with this drugstore artifact.

Here's what's on the attached Tag:
 

 

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Posted 04-20-03

Here are some photos of a very nice Roper Range from the 1940s sent to us by our friend Janice in the Chicago Area.

1940s Roper Range, with burner covers closed


1940s Roper Range, with burner covers open


1940s Scientific Baking Chart


1940s Scientific Broiling Chart

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Posted 04-13-06

Here is a wonderful photo of a stove sent to us by our reader Dave. He writes, "... This is a 1955 O'Keefe and Merrit range with Double Ovens and Double Broilers with the ABC (automatic burn control) timer for the rear right burner...."

1955 O'Keefe and Merrit Range

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Posted 02-13-03

This was sent to us by 40s Phil who has an incredible collection of stramlined stuff out in Central Indiana. Phil writes:

" ...I believe that it is a 1952 model Roper Range. It's 36" wide. 40" wide was the standard width all during the 1940s. Then they shrunk to 36" in the early 50s (and the 30" was introduced in the early 50s - has been the standard size since the 60s)... and, the oven door is really cool!..."

The inside of the Oven Door of the Roper Range

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Posted 10-03-06

This was sent in by our friend Saar:

" ... Here is our 1951 Chambers Range Model C 60. Built in 1951, this fellow came from the original owner in Indianapolis and now resides in Huntington Woods, Mi. We installed a new thermostat and safety system, has all of the grates, drip pans and burners re porcelianed. The oven easily cranks up to 700 degrees ! The broiler is recessed into the cooktop and is operated by the handle on the extreme left and the one to the right of it. The broiler pan height and the flame are both adjustable. This is truly a serious cook's dream come true range. [Rachael Ray uses one on her "60 Minute Meals" program on the Food Network] The insulation in the guy is so perfect, even at full blast, the exterior of the oven compartment remains cool to the touch. On the rear right of the cooktop is a lid which conceals the Thermowell which will hold a single, double or triple pot, a double boiler or a Thermobaker which turns the well into a second oven sized to accomodate an 8" round pan. .."

Take a look at Saar's 1955 Hotpoint Refrigerator (scroll down to the "Refrigerators" section, below)

The 1953 Chambers Model C-60

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Posted 11-05-02

This lovely electric range was manufactured by the RUTENBER ELECTRIC CO, of Marion, Indiana just after World War II. They made about five models, all in white porcelain enamel, trimmed in black. The company was certainly proud of the quality of the construction in stove--one promotional picture shows six men standing on a stove frame

This was sent to us by 40s Phil who has an incredible collection of stramlined stuff out in Central Indiana, not too far from the Rutenber factory. Phil writes:"Here's a 1940's Marion range with the 'deep well' cooking pot built in"

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Posted 10-01-02

Found on Bulk Trash Day, Chevy Chase MD

On my regular foray into Chevy Chase, Maryland on Bulk Trash Day, I found a large box. Inside it were several items, including a large stoneware crock with a spigot coming out of the bottom. It is marked:

Briefly, this invention saved England from the Cholera epidemics of the 1820s in which 30% of the entire population of London died due to bad water! [In addition, the Cholera epidemic was the first time that Statistics were used to discover the source of a disease.] The ceramic "filter candle" is still used today in those Brita filters. I do NOT belive that this is old; it appears to be a reproduction made in the 1970s. However, it works perfectly! I cannot believe that this thing made its way to me for FREE!

The photo above shows the "filter candles" on the inside.

Click here to learn about Sir Henry Doulton and his remarkable invention

Click here to learn how the Filter Candle works.

Keep your eyes out on Bulk Trash day!!!

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Posted 6-15-2001

I love these little things. The sugar bowl (blue) has just wonderful proportions and coordinates so well with the yellow creamer. I paid 50 cents for both of them at a yard sale. I wish that I had the whole set of china. These are just marvelous examples of art in the kitchen. (...or that Kitchenware doesn't have to be kitsch...)

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Posted 6-15-2001

This is the opposite pole --- it is pure kitsch! It is a roasting pan in the shape of a streamlined locomotive. I like it as an example of "Gee Whiz" design, like my 1940s vacuum cleaners in the shape of jet engines. I still like it --- today's big thing is Internet. I have no idea of how this is going to figure as a design element.

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This punch bowl has a metal urn in the center and an aluminum ring that holds the glasses, hence the term "Saturn". The handles are Lucite. I have seen versions with aluminum cups as well as red glass. This makes a wonderful addition to any party. They used to be relatively plentiful, but now they are rare and I saw one at the most recent Art Deco Society show for something like $400. Grab it if you see it! More about this item may be foound in Art Deco Chrome by Jim Linz (Schiffer Books, ISBN 0-7643-07444-4) P 89

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This is the broiler pan from a 1946 Roper gas range. Take a look at what is inside your stove and you will greatly appreciate the artistry in this object. Known as "The Sunburst", this particular object has made it into the collections of several Museums. There is one at the Cooper-Hewitt and at the Baltimore Art Museum. This is a very heavy aluminum casting in two parts --- a tray and a removable serving platter. The "Sun" is a grease well and the "rays" are drainage channels. This is a wonderful piece of design.

Here is the information from the manufacturer's nameplate:

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This is a table model waffle iron from the 1930s. These are fairly common although there is an interesting sociological story here. The first thing to do is to check out a film called Woman of the Year, starring Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Now, it takes a real Vintage Nut to ignore the specaular performances and witty dialogue to focus on the small details. (The subtext if you are into film...)

Within the context of the film, Hepburn plays a 1940s "Liberated" woman who marries a traditional man. After some severe career-related friction, Hepburn's character tries to smooth things out by cooking breakfast, demonstrating that she can function as a more-or-less ordinary housewife. In order to do this, she orders all the latest gadgets for her kitchen. One of these is a tableside waffle iron, which is used as an incredibly comic prop. Hepburn's character may speak 37 languages, but can't seem to make a simple waffle. (Fortunately, Tracy's character eventually realizes the intrinsic value of his wife...)

The point of this discussion is that advertisers devoted a whole lot of effort to marketing appliances as "cook at the table" --- the pitch being that anything that was done at the table brought couples together. Do YOU know of appliances that are sold today as a "marital aid"? Haven't times changed??? So, this table model waffle iron is here to illustrate this sociological trend. It actually makes pretty good waffles!

Here is the information from the manufacturer's nameplate:

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Following on the discussion of the waffle iron, above, this is another example of the "Togetherness" products marketed during the 1930s and 1940s. This particular item functions as a tabletop oven. You can use it to bake six small muffins or a small cake. You can also poach eggs if you fill it with water. It actually works and is very nice on really hot mornings wehn you don't want to turn the oven on. I'm really happy with it.

Here is the information from the manufacturer's nameplate:

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Vitamin C was isolated in the 1940s and sparked a nationwide craze for health through orange juice. The expense (and hence status) of fresh-squeezed orange juice also contributed to a flood of deco-inspired juicers. Here is a pair of such items. The "Big Squeeze" shown on the left has a lot of leverage and does quite well on grapefruit. The "Juice-o- Mat" on the right seems to do a better job on oranges. Only the latter has manufacturer information.

Here is the information from the manufacturer's nameplate:

The "Juice-O-Mat" Was invented by Josph M. Majewski, Jr. of Kansas City, Missouri. He was employed by the Rival Manufacturing Company of that city, headed by Foster L. Taige. The design is pure 1930s -- Mr. Majewski applied for his patent on July 16, 1937 and it was granted on January 3, 1939 (#2,142,975)

Mr. Majewski's Patent
Click here if you want to learn how to get Patent Drawings

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You will have to live through a brief Sociological discussion so that we can provide appropriate intellectual justification for collecting a pressure cooker

For all the criticism we have of Henry Luce's editorial policy, Life Magazine remains an excellent record of life in the 1930s and 1940s. Recently, we attended a yard sale and came away with a gigantic box of these magazines. We were drawn to a photo essay on how World War II was affecting "An American Block" in Hamilton, Ohio (November 8, 1943) The article provided photos and interviews with "typical American" families along one block in this small, mainstream town. The major themes were present -- concern for loved ones in the service, complaints about rationing, changes in routine since women went off to work in defense plants. However, we also noted some unusual things from the perspective of 1998. Specifically, the photos documented people who led a very sparse existence. The living rooms shown had a few chairs and not much ornament on the walls. Kitchens were plain and utilitarian. Of note, all the men photographed had very well-shined, but obviously old shoes.

In the midst of the discussion about the war and sacrifices, came a comment from Mrs. Ida Kunzelman who had experienced the thrill of her first paycheck. She noted that she planned to buy a pressure cooker. In the context of the war, this seemed a bit odd. From our 20/20 hindsight, it seems that other things might be higher on her list of priorities. Plus (as we found out later), pressure cookers were made of aluminum which was very scarce due to its use in aircraft. Acquisition of such a device would have required considerable financial sacrifice and possibly even dealing on the Black Market. So, we were left with the question, "What is so desirable about a pressure cooker?"

This question remained unanswered until we attended yet another estate sale. Sitting amidst the kitchen detritus was, of all things, an old pressure cooker. We offered fifty cents for the thing and took it home, to examine it as an historical artifact, with the hope of gaining some insight into Mrs. Kunzelman's motivation. The thing appeared to be old, because it has wooden handles; my memory of these things is plastic handles, so it was a safe bet that the thing dated from before 1950. Unfortunately, on the subject of Mrs. K's motivation, we found it to be singularly mute, although it is obviously made to last --- the aluminum casting is graceful and about half an inch thick. You probably could have made the whole wing of a Dauntless dive-bomber out of the metal in this baby.

So, what do you do when you want to learn something these days? Simple: crank up your search engine and enter "PRESTO PRESSURE COOKER". Within five minutes, I was looking at a picture of the object that I had before me. You can view this also by simply accessing the website of the National Presto Corporation.

A Brief History of the National Presto Corporation

The company was founded in 1905 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It manufactured industrial-size pressure canners, known as "canner retorts," for commercial canneries. At that time National Presto, then called Northwestern Iron and Steel Works, was a major producer of fifty gallon capacity pressure canners. Subsequently, the company also began production of thirty-gallon canners for hotel use and soon thereafter developed ten-gallon models suitable for home canning. In 1915 the company installed an aluminum foundry for the specific purpose of manufacturing large-size pressure canners for home use.

When, in 1917, the United States Department of Agriculture determined that pressure canning was the only safe method of canning low acid foods without risking food poisoning, all commercial canneries were forced to equip themselves with facilities for the pressure canning of their products. During this period the company became one of the largest manufacturers of cast aluminum cooking utensils in the world. Its products were marketed under the trade name "National," and the company name was changed to "National Pressure Cooker Company" to more closely identify with its famous brand.

With its vast experience in manufacturing pressure canners and to more adequately meet the needs of the consumer, in 1939 the company introduced the first saucepan-style pressure cooker and gave it the trade name "Presto." (and, it is this model that we have acquired) The Presto brand soon became synonymous with pressure cooking, which represented to the American housewife a method of cooking in one third the time while maintaining the vitamin and mineral content of foods and saving both food flavor and color.

So great was the consumer's acceptance of the Presto pressure cooker that in 1941 facilities at National Presto were dramatically increased. By the end of the year, the Presto cooker ranked among the largest producers of housewares dollar volume in leading stores throughout the country.

World War II, however, brought a temporary end to the manufacture of pressure cookers as well as other cast aluminum cooking utensils. Quick to cooperate in the war effort, the company converted almost all of its production facilities into war work, manufacturing artillery fuses, aerial bombs, and rocket fuses. It became the first to manufacture rocket fuses on a mass production scale and was also one of the first companies in the state of Wisconsin to receive the Army-Navy "E" Award, receiving five such awards during its wartime operation. Throughout the period of World War II, the company continued to manufacture canners for the extremely important victory garden and canning programs. Materials for these canners were provided by the War Production Board, and the canners were made of steel since aluminum was not available.

With victory in sight in 1945, the company resumed a portion of its civilian production. First to be released was a 16-quart canner, followed by a 4-quart saucepan-type Presto pressure cooker. The pent-up demand for pressure cookers was tremendous and, in an industry which included eleven other manufacturers, more Presto pressure cookers were purchased by consumers than all other brands combined. (Wasn't that exciting?)

manual for the PRESTO Cooker

With some correspondence with the folks at Presto, we were able to establish that our artifact was one of the 1945 4-quart models. The people there said that Mrs. Kunzelman probably wanted the thing so that she could continue to make traditional meals while working at the defense plant, because pressure cooking allows dishes to be prepared in about a third of the time. So, Mrs. K had many of the same problems faced by traditional two-career families. We guess that there was no Boston Market, Fresh Fields or their equivalent at that time. There really is nothing new under the sun... We wonder if Mr. K got a lot of jive about helping out around the house --- a 90s man was probably needed in the 40s.

As an afterthought, that wonderful story on the "American Block" -- and it is, indeed, truly charming --- is in an issue that features Jan Christian Smuts on both the cover and in a lengthy glowing story. Gen. Smuts was the architect of South Africa's apartheid policy. Our opinion of Henry Luce has not changed one bit.

More on Pressure Cookers
from: Sue Fedor

When I was a kid, we owned two pressure cookers. Both my mother and my father were proficient at pressure cooker use (which included knowing how to put the lid on correctly, with the rubber o-ring, and the little "hat" on top). One thing you did not mention is that 1940's kitches (and my kitchen today...) lack air conditioning. During a hot summer (and if I remember from my reading, 1945 was a hot summer) the last thing you felt like doing was firing up the oven to cook dinner. You didn't particularly feel like slaving over a hot pot or griddle either. The answer: throw everything into the pressure cooker and retire to the living room, turn on the Philco and put your feet up. Just before Fibber McGee & Molly, dinner should be ready.

We now have crock pots and microwave ovens for these sorts of things.

Here's a question for you. Before the days of electric refrigeration, what was the official "ice box etiquette"? You remember your mom always telling you to close the refrigerator door and eat the leftovers before making new food. But what special things had to be done in the days before refrigerators? Was there special emphasis on cleaning the plate because there was little room for leftovers? Was ice cream seldom consumed at home because of storage? Was the timeline on cooking meat tighter? Were you never allowed to open the door unless it was absolutely necessary? Any funny family stories about ice blocks?
---Sue

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In 1997, I took a trip to Solomon's Island to attend a Rockin Bones gig. (By the way, their new CD is fantastic...) I found this cooky jar and sugar shaker at a yard sale. I make ginger snaps, dust them with sugar, and store them in the jar. They don't last long.

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This lovely chrome lazy susan is out of a Chase Art Metal catalogye from the 1930s. It is used every morning to carry all the accoutrements of breakfast around the table.

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Our Workshop is now filled with projects thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Levy of Atlas Office Machines in Baltimore. They are retiring from nearly 50 years in the business and they have a three story warehouse near Camden Yards. We visited them and bought many of the objects shown

Mrs. Levy gave us this aluminum lunch pail --- including the Thermos in Safety Orange. She carried this object to work during World War II when she worked in a defense plant in Sparrows Point. Thus, it is an authentic "Rosie the Riveter" lunch box.

We have shown the lunch pail with an Eveready and Raytheon flashlight of the period. Art was not limited to the Upper Classes. All of these are stylish, well-constructed objects that serve their intended purpose superbly.

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We found this gorgeous tea set at a yard sale. Actually, the aluminum covers were in one box and the teapot, creamer and sugar were in the other. I am grateful to My partner, who was smart enough to put them together. We paid $4 for the set.

The set is marked "Made in England --- Celtic Beehive". My partner guesses that it dates to the 1930s.

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This is a Lincoln Beautyware cannister set that we have been collecting --- one piece at a time --- for about a year. As usual, this starts with something that you get practically for free. In our case, the "Sugar" cannister was found for a quarter at an estate sale. The "Coffee" and "Tea" were found in our trip to Mercersburg ($1 for both), and "Flour" came from the Episcopal Thrift Shop in Chevy Chase ($1). Finally, the Cake Cover ($3.00) came from our recent trip to Hampden, a Baltimore neighborhood.

O.K. --- There's a story here, not just a chance to show off our cannister set. The set depicted here is the High Class "Art" version that was made in the mid 1940s. Each item is made of stainless steel. The tops have retractable hard rubber handles and the lettering is on an enameled brass plate riveted to the cannister. This was a fairly expensive item, and considerable attention went into the design and manufacture of each piece. The materials are very good and there isn't a speck of rust on any of the pieces. Each piece is plainly marked "Lincoln Beautyware". We have found that this company's primary product line is stainless steel objects for use in medical facilities, particularly operating rooms, so we are not at all surprised at the quality and durability of the product.

However, as we have been sensitized to this particular product line, we have noticed that this particular set has been widely counterfeited! It seems that this made a big hit with upscale homemakers when it was introduced, and spawned a whole lot of "Copy Cats". We have seen them in aluminum (full of dents), pressed tin (rusted) and even plastic. The proportions are about the same, but the gorgeous details, especially the enameled brass plates and retractable handles is missing. The aluminum versions try to emulate the typeface with paint, but later versions only emulate the shape.

Here is another Lincoln Beautyware cannister set and breadbox that was sent in by our friend Norma:

These are a great addition to any kitchen --- but, beware of imitations. It would be worth your while to pay up to $50 for a complete, authentic set if you don't want to wait. Beware of low quality imitations.

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For years, we have been waiting for a real drug store milk shake mixer to fall into our hands. You can find these in antique stores for $200 and up, but my partner and I NEVER pay retail for anything. This beauty, from the 1940s came from a store liquidation in Greencastle, Pennsylvania. I bid $20 for it and won! In an amusing twist, we had been shopping all day and I didn't have $20 in cash on me --- and, the only ATM in town was down for service. We had to dip into our "quarter can" which we keep in the car for parking meters. I had to pay the last ten cents in pennies...

But, this is the real McCoy --- a Hamilton-Beach Model 33 (Serial number 33M55123) --- which dates from 1942. The thing is really built to last! There isn't one single mark on the green enamel stand. By the way, the thing weighs 30 pounds, so it isn't moving ANYWHERE on the counter

 
Barnes and Reinecke's Classic design for the Malt Mixer
Click here if you want to learn how to get Patent Drawings

The basic design for the Hamilton-Beach Mixer was patented on December 26, 1939 -- a small "post-Christmas" present from the Patent Office to the lovers of sweets everywhere. The designers were James F. Barnes and Jean Otis Reinecke of Waterbury Connecticut -- they were employees of the Scovill Corporation which was acquired in 1940 by Hamilton-Beach. They received Design Patent 118,225 for their effort.

 
Myers Agitator (l.) and and Seyfried's Aerator (r.)
They Make the Milkshake Creamy and Frothy
Click here if you want to learn how to get Patent Drawings

The fully perfected Milk Shake maker relies on the genius of Thomas B. Myers and Arthur W. Seyfried who invented the little Agitator (bottom) and Aerator (top) that enable this wonderful machine to churn ice cream and milk into a creamy and frothy delight. The full flowering of the mixer was not attained until Seyfried emplaced the aerator in 1942. Science and American Ingenuity will always triumph!

Here's a recipe for my favorite drink: Put chocolate ice cream into the can up to the first mark. Put chocolate milk in up to the second mark. Add two tablespoons of Hershey's chocolate syrup, two teaspoons of malt sugar and one raw egg. Mix until the emulsified mixture almost fills the can. OK, I know there are health food freaks out there who are worried about Salmonella. I used to drink two of these a day at Patsy's in Bloomfield (a Pittsburgh neighborhood) from age 12 to age 26 (when Patsy went out of business...) and I never got sick. Since I got the milk shake mixer, I have had one a day and no problems.

Of course, I grew up in Pittsburgh... I am probably immune to everything. Only Yuppies live forever.

Here is a photo of a mixer made in the 1960s and distributed by Sears. It has a number of the features of the Hamilton-Beach, but with "space age" styling. Thanks to our friend "Acme Ron" for sending it in!

The Sears Mixer

Here is another mixer that was influenced by the space age. It is a Multimixer by Sterling Multi-Products, Sterling, Illinois. The mixer is 19 1/2" tall, made of heavy, enameled cast iron. Our friend "Acme Ron" has put it next to a similar "Jetson" style can opener for scale

The Jetsons' Mixer and Can Opener

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The upper picture is a Hamilton-Beach Model 6 Blender from the early 1950s. The next picture is Model 5 from the same company. All show the influence of Rocket Ships and Space Travel that was beginning to obsess the country after WWII.

This is another appliance that was made to last -- the heavy base is enameled and everything dis-assembles so it can be repaired. We found this model at a garage sale and walked away with it for fifty cents. There isn't a mark on the thing and it has about ten times the power of contempoary blenders. We really like the styling. Although this model entered the market in about 1952, we believe that the design inspiration is pure Post War "Rocket and Space" themes.

The incredibly powerful motor, we believe, is there because of the Daiquiri fad --- this is an alcoholic drink that can only be made in a blender by crushing ice with rum, lime juice and sugar. Since we don't drink, we'll offer another recipe: By over-ripe banannas at the supermarket on deep discount. Peel the fruit and place it in small plastic bags and freeze until hard. Place one frozen bananna, four ice cubes, a cup of skim milk and a teaspoon of malt sugar into the blender. Churn until smooth. This creates an illusion of a milkshake that we drink when we have had too many of the other kind of milkshake. Don't try this with a cheap plastic blender.

Speaking about Rocket Ships, take a look at these:

 

"Hollywood Liquefier" Blenders, submitted by our friend "Acme" Ron of Phoenix

These were made by the Hollywood Liquifier Co. Ltd. of South Pasadena California. The word "Hollywood" came tio be associated with Movie Stars, Glamour and physical fitness. One of the pervasive myths about "Hollywood" was that the film industry had access to medical secrets that could keep a person young indefinitely. Although in reality film stars only had access to expert photograph retouchers, "health food" was widely touted as the Fountain of Youth. A large part of this was the consumption of juices made out of every kind of plant and animal. Given this, it is only logical that the device used to create these magic elixirs should also acquire Hollywood cachet.

The "Hollywood Liquefier" Recipe Book
It looks really healthy!


The "Hollywood Liquefier" Recipe Book Showing the "Cut-out"on the cover


The Inside cover that shows through the cutout
It looks really modern, progressive, AND healthy

Indeed, this blender has something magical about it -- to me, it says "Las Vegas" or "Rat Pack". It belongs in the same genre as those late 50s Chrysler Imperials with little satellites as tail lights. Where the Waring or Hamilton-Beach blenders have a "fat" base, this one is curiously thin, embodying a triangular cross-section. Who knows, maybe people who wanted to reduce would take one look at the thing and decide to buy a slender blender.

The interior of the gadget was designed by Donald E. Grove and Jackson D. Comstock in 1943 and together, these folks became the Hollywood Liquefier Company.

 
Grove and Comstock's Patent for the "Hollywood Liquefier"
From the patent diagrams, the Blue Blender (right) is older than the White Blender!
Click here if you want to learn how to get Patent Drawings

In the late 1940s Sol Rosenthal did an exterior design that simplified the piece, removing the push-button controls. This was done most likely to reduce manufacturing costs.

Sol Rosenthal's Design Patent for the "Hollywood Liquefier"
Click here if you want to learn how to get Patent Drawings

Although these blenders are a work of industrial design art, they are cheesy as all get-out. For example:

• The gorgeous "wing-in-flight" lid for the pitcher is made of a curious white plastic material that will shatter if it is dropped from a height of more than one foot; hence, the lid is often missing or cracked.
• The pitcher is is made out of another kind of "biodegradable" plastic -- it is very often yellowed with age or warped to the point where the lid will not fit onto it.
• On the original versions, the embossed words 'Hollywood Liquefier' had original silver metallic paint in the letters. This falls out very quickly.
• The blades are apparently made from used tinfoil; they become scratched and scuffed very quickly.
• The white rubber seal that mates the Pitcher and the power base will harden, crack and permit leaks.
• The little black power switch should have a white rubber covering on the screw that holds it in
• The decal for the power settings can be scratched or scrubbed off very easily. It should read "Off-Low-High"
• The cord cracks easily; the original power cord had the word "Royal" molded on it.

Because so much can go wrong, these items are extremely rare, and often bring high prices at auction. You should be very careful about condition before you pay a lot of money and you should examine the object on the above points very closely, preferably with an expert at hand. If you buy one, do not ever use it -- it will self-destruct before your very eyes. Buy this strictly as a piece of sculpture!

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Posted 8-15-2006

Here is an attempt to end "counter-clutter" -- it is the Nu Tone Built-in Food Center. This clever device mounted a motor and speed cotrol (The "Power Base") in the sink-top. Recently, one of our readers sent in a pictures of a Nu Tone Center that dates from the 1950s:

The Power Base, as Found by Our Reader (l.) and New

The system offered a wide variety of tools that could be inserted in the power-take-off (top) after a screw-in cover had been removed. Power was transmitted through a "Power Post". A variety of appliances were offered:

The Vast Array of Appliances Used With the Nu Tone System

The Food Procesor and Other Parts (see below)
 
The Ice Crusher

The Can Opener
 
The Juicer
 
The Knife Sharpener
 
The Mixer and Shredder

When my Dad and I were in the Kitchen Business, we installed a few of these, only in the hoomes of very wealthy people. The idea did not catch on because you only traded counter-clutter for drawer-clutter. Also, buying all these appliances from one manufacturer made you captive to them. The Nu-Tone company does not make these anymore, although you may be able to find them on internet auctions. Thanks to the great kindness of our friend "Acme Ron" in Phoenix, I now have a ".pdf" of the manual -- Contact Me if you want one.

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A long time ago, Daniel Fierer told me that, on impulse, he had purchased a silver art deco martini set at Sloane's Auction Gallery. We shared some amusement because neither of us drink alcohol. Alas, the martini cocktail is inextricably linked with the late 1920s and the 1930s, a period where economics forced fashionable young couples to give up servants and entertain on their own. If you couldn't afford a butler, you could "treat" yourself to an artistic cocktail set and make the preparation of drinks a part of pre-dinner festivities. Also, during Prohibition, the cocktail bar was usually hidden in some object of furniture (mine is a coffee table); you never knew when Aunt Minnie the temperance firebrand might show up. Well, it seems that the Martini is back in style -- lord knows how many "Martini and Cigar" bars have opened in town. And, it seems that many of our new converts to swing have come to us through the "Martini Nation."

Well, let's make it clear that I don't drink. On the other hand, cocktails were a really essential part of sophisticated entertaining during the Swing Era. Right after the first World War, people began living in Big Cities in Small Apartments. This meant "No Servants" --- and entertaining took on a "Do-it-yourself" character. It was quite elegant to drag out artistic implements and prepare exotic mixed drinks for guests while making witty banter during the process. The advent of Prohibition only added glamour to the cocktail ritual. In the 1930s, President Roosevelt gathered his closest aides to his side promptly at 4:30 pm for something called "The Children's Hour" --- during which the President himself would mix dry Martinis for the ensemble.

This grouping shows some art-deco inspired Cocktail implements. From left to right, we have:

1. A "Sparklet Syphon" seltzer bottle
2. Chase "Gaiety"cocktail shaker
3. A "Krome-Kraft" Martini Shaker

The "Sparklet Syphon" seltzer bottle recognized that carbonated water is essential to many mixed drinks. Prior to the 1940s, carbonated water ("Seltzer") was prepared at factories from calcioum carbonate salts (Hence the German word "Seltzer"), stored re-usable in Syphon bottles and delivered to the consumer.

The consumer pressed a lever on top of the bottle and soda flowed. The "Seltzer Bottle" became a prime comedic prop in Burlesque. (By the way, the most common color for old seltzer bottles was cobalt blue followed by clear. Amber bottles were quite rare and are now quite valuable). This is a modern version of the old selzer bottle which uses tap water and a carbon dioxide cartridge to prepare the soda. During WWII, these carbon dioxide cartridges were developed for use in the "Mae West" inflatable life vests. This particular item is a Sparklet Syphon made by the Sparklets Corporation of New York City. It was designed by Lawrence T. Ward who received design Patent No. 101,421 for it on September 29, 1936.

Mr. Wards Patent

Originally, it cost about $5-$6 and carbon dioxide cartridges were 5 cents, as shown in this ad from March 1941. Note that Mom and Junior (shown in outline) watch with pride as Dad mixes a cocktail...

Advertisement for Sparklett Carbon Dioxide Syphon
Every Dad Wanted to Be a Good Mixer $6 in 1941 would be about equivalent to $126 in 2005

Today one of these items in good condition could be purchased for about $75. More about this item may be foound in Art Deco Chrome by Jim Linz (Schiffer Books, ISBN 0-7643-07444-4) P 103 About the Chase "Gaiety"cocktail shaker: The cylindrical shaker was item No. 90034 in the Chase Art Metal catalogue, beginning in the late 1920s. This particular shaker was featured in ads for Kool cigarettes as one of the premiums available to smokers. As a result, this particular item is more-or-less readily available. In good shape, they are worth about $50.

Advertisement from LIFE Magazine, October 1, 1937
Ad for KOOL Cigarettes and the Premium Catalogue

This cocktail shaker was designed by Howard F. Reichenbach who obtained patent No. 91,179 for its design on December 12, 1933.

Mr. Reichenbach's Patent

More about this item may be found in Art Deco Chrome by Jim Linz (Schiffer Books, ISBN 0-7643-07444-4) P 78 and P 82

The far right object is specialized, it is a Krome-Kraft Martini shaker by the Farber Brothers of New York City Ice, gin and vermouth are placed in the cannister, shaken thoroughly and then poured out a spout (which automatically strains the ice.) You will recall that James Bond liked this confection "Shaken, not stirred..." If I was going to make this (but I really don't drink), I would use five parts gin to one part dry Vermouth. I'd serve it with a pearl onion. More about this item may be found in Art Deco Chrome by Jim Linz (Schiffer Books, ISBN 0-7643-07444-4) P 84

Several people have written to us and asked why we don't have any refrigerators on this page. I really don't know anyone who collects refrigerators. You would have to have a whole lot of space to pursue that hobby. Just when I thought that the question was settled, we got this photo of the Blue Fridge. Here's the note that went with it:

From: Jim Galglione

Fridge Facts: 1949 General Electric model nbx-8-fb refrigerator with freezer; electrostatic blue enamel finish added 1999; jumbo photo-magnet of "Hap" also not an original to the fridge.

Fridge story: The enormous contemporary fridge that conveyed with our tiny 1931 house was relegated to the basement when a 1949 General Electric with a new compressor appeared at an estate sale. The original white finish had long since lost it's luster and gained a patina of basement grunge, so we had it electrostatically painted in blue enamel, save for the big shiny handle and the G.E. logo badge on the front of the door. A call to G.E. found that an original replacement gasket was also available for four times what we paid for the fridge; we opted to make do with a near-match from stock and invest the savings in more Lindy lessons.

Miscellaneous comments: By the way, everyone's stock comment about old refrigerators is that they use a ton of electricity; this one costs about $7/month to run; maybe it's the new compressor, but between our 1930's gas stove and 1949 fridge, we've invested $45 in appliances so I figure we'll be ahead of the game for quite a while.

As to the electrostatic paint job - this is a painting method that is generally used to repaint metal office furniture; it involves a spray-paint application that magnetizes the metal to be painted and the paint itself resulting in the paint literally being attracted to the object; the paint is a hard enamel and can be made in any color you can find on a paint manufacturer's chart. They'll tell you it has no overspray, but they're wrong; after having the fridge painted in our living room, it took a day to scrub the fine overspray off of every surface in the room.

Our friend Dave sent us these refrigerator photos:

   BR
The 1955 General Electric Refrigerator

Dave writes: "...This is a 1955 General Electric refrigerator with the separate temperature control butter compartment (shown on the interior door photo). It has the 15 egg aluminum tray holder below the butter compartment,and the swing out cheese basket. And, believe it or not, the Refrigerator is more quiet than the modern one it replaced. And since the original insulation, from the 1950's was far superior to the modern stuff, it is very competitive for efficiency to the newer models..."

Our friend Saar added this:

... Our 1955 Hotpoint Dual Door model was purchased by a local doctor for home use. He and his wife used the fridge for five years then moved into a new home with a new fridge. This bigboy was relegated to the finished basement where it stored chocolate and coffee for 47 years. The housekeeper cleaned it out every month, defrosted it every six months and washed the exterior with white vinegar every week. Bigboy runs nearly silently and sometimes we open the doors just to make sure it really is on. The doors close like a bank vault and the chrome handles measure a whopping 8 x 10 inches ! Bigboy replaced a new JennAIr [energy saving model] and our electrical bill dropped $11.00 per month !...

The 1955 Hotpoint Dual Door Refrigerator

... Our stove is a near mint condition 1953 Chambers Model C 60 (scroll up to the "stoves" section). All of our kitchen appliances are vintage: Hobart Coffee Grinder, Sunbeam Mixmaster, Osterizer Blender, Sunbeam Vacuum Coffee Maker, Sunbeam Toaster and INCA Food Scale [Switzerland]. All this in our 1940 International Style Concrete Block house....

From time-to time, we will augment this discussion with ads for refrigerators. They certainly played a big role in my childhood. Perhaps these ads will remind you of yours.

Kelvinator Ad from 1941



Kelvinator Ad from 1947
Lord Kelvin invented the principles of thermodynamics that make modern refrigeration possible

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Wagner Ware is sold under the name "Magna Lite". This stuff is the highest quality kitchenware that you can get. It is thoroughly beautiful and works with spectacular results. The picture shows three of the most beautiful and classic pieces: the Roasting pan, the Griddle, and the Tea Kettle. These are very utilitarian objects with sculptural lines. Buy them any time you get the chance!

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