This 1915 wood-burning Wedgewood stove is still in use at the Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, California. Photo Courtesy of Linda Svendsen

By Nancy E. Berry

One of the best ways to create old-time kitchen ambience is to introduce antique appliances„in particular a cookstove and a refrigerator. Loyal cooks swear by a refurbished cooking rangeÍs ability to kick out BTUs to rival todayÍs commercial stoves, while many old-appliance enthusiasts claim their 1930s refrigerators have never had to be serviced. Whether the early 20th-century make youÍre looking for is a Wedgewood, Hotpoint, Chambers, Quick Meal, or a GE Monitor Top, do your homework before buying. Here are some tips from old-appliance pros on purchasing these antique conveniences.

ñBuying an old appliance is like buying a used car„youÍve got to kick the tires,î says Mike Arnold, owner of Twentieth Century Appliance Restorations in Troy, New York, whoÍs been in the restoration business for more than 40 years. ñI started my company when these items werenÍt considered antiques yet,î he says. ñYour best bet is to look for a stove or refrigerator from the 1930s to the mid- Í50s. These appliances will most likely have all the bells and whistles youÍre looking for today„solid construction, good oven regulation, and built-in safety features„and little extras such as clocks, lights, additional ovens, or food warmers.î

Testing 1, 2, 3
First check to see if the cooking stove or refrigerator has all its parts, Arnold says. There were literally thousands of stove brand names by the early 1900s. Every foundry made a stove, and any department store could put its name on that stove. The number of companies making refrigerators went from 20 in 1910 to 200 by 1925. So if a refrigerator part is missing or broken it can be hard to locate.

It is also important to hook up the appliance to make sure it works. ñUnless youÍre buying from a reputable dealer, donÍt take the sellerÍs word for it,î Arnold says. Often a stove just needs a quick fix; dirt can be the biggest ñgremlin,î he says, and the simple task of cleaning and lubricating an old gas valve can bring the stove back to new. If an oven is not heating accurately sometimes the thermostat just needs to be adjusted. Another common problem is rodent infestation, in which case the insulation would need to be replaced.

Home on the Range
Enclosed coal- and wood-burning cast-iron cooking ranges were in use in many homes by the late 1800s„women no longer had to cook meals in an open hearth. The first gas ranges were introduced around 1880 in cities where illuminating gas was available, but they werenÍt insulated and lacked oven thermostats. Stoves were insulated by the 1920s and by the 1930s many safety and cooking amenities had been incorporated. The earliest 20th-century stoves were made of cast iron with nickel-plated trim and exposed valve piping, while later models were constructed of porcelain-enameled steel.

Jack Santoro, editor of The Old Road Home, a magazine devoted to antique appliances, has been in the business of refurbishing old stoves for 35 years. ñIÍve seen a real shift in my clientele„maybe the old timers have died off,î he deadpans, ñbut we are getting calls from 25-year-olds looking for antique stoves to add to their kitchens.î He says some of the most popular but hard-to-find stoves are the larger ones„60ý wide with six to eight burners and rotisserie spits such as the OÍKeefe and Merritt Estate or the Magic Chef 6,300 series. Another trend he sees is the popularity of small 30ý stoves originally made for apartments. ñ1940s and Í50s ranges are popular, too,î he adds. He also advises buying from a reputable dealer, and looking for a stove that works, is well insulated, restored to meet todayÍs codes, and has working heat controls. ñPeople can get stuck with a lemon if they are not careful„you need to make sure all safety systems are in place.î He advises against purchasing early (pre-1910) stoves because of their inefficiency„and they also rarely pass inspection.

Santoro believes vintage stoves are easier to repair because they are put together with screws, rather than riveted together like newer models, thus they are easier to take apart. In the past many of the working stove parts were universal, and they can be fairly easy to replace. Some early models can also be adjusted to go from natural gas to propane. By the 1950s ranges had all types of enticing features, including meters for roasts that would play ñTenderly.î (Santoro even remembers a dryer that would play ñHow Dry Am Iî when the cycle was complete!)

Santoro sells several how-to books on repairing stoves and finds that many of the magazineÍs readers are willing to fix their own antique stoves. ñThere are a few things they canÍt do on their own, like replating nickel and porcelain or rebuilding thermostats,î he says. Santoro recommends staying away from ranges made in 1946 and 1947. He finds these are usually constructed of scrap metals because most virgin steel had gone to the war effort. The best finds are unused stock (inventory never sold by a company), he adds. He also reminds us that a stove in good condition can be pricey„upwards of $3,500.

Cool News
Introduced to the domestic kitchen in the 1910s, refrigerators operating on electricity or gas-powered compressors were regular features in kitchens by the 1930s. The first indoor refrigerator to keep perishables cool was an unpowered ñicebox,î which appeared in homes around the 1880s. These classy cabinets were often oak or ash and lined with either zinc, tin, or porcelain and had wire racks or porcelain shelves. Insulated with cork and tar, corrugated cardboard, or fiberboard, they were a revolutionary answer to the issue of preventing spoilage.

By 1925 self-cooling refrigerators, introduced to only the wealthiest households in 1910, had become less expensive for the average homeowner to purchase. Early mechanical refrigerators resembled the cabinetry of their precursor„stalwart chests with nickel strap hinges. Later models from the 1920s were porcelain over steel. ñThe design of appliances really follows the car industry. Cabinets became more streamlined and more stylish with cabriole legs„while colors were white with mint green or grey trim,î says Arnold. In the 1940s some manufacturers tried marbleized finishes in porcelain enamel. Also in the Í40s legs started to disappear and were gone altogether by the Í50s.

The problems Arnold sees most often with old refrigerators are broken handles, missing shelves, or door gaskets. Today the most popular model by far is the GE Monitor Top, introduced in 1927. Its compressor, which rests on its white porcelain cabinet, was said to be reminiscent of the gun turret of the famous Civil War battleship, the Monitor. Arnold believes Monitor Tops are more energy efficient than todayÍs models, and he adds, they are almost bulletproof. He advises having the seller plug in the fridge 24 hours before you go to look at it and make sure they have frozen ice cubes in the freezer.

Arnold advises staying away from antique refrigerators made after the mid- 1950s. Finishes went from porcelain to plastic, cords went from cloth to rubber, and tubing went from copper to aluminum. ñBy then compressor styles changed to high speed. The ñfrost freeî feature also ate up a lot of the electricity. ñOld refrigerators use 4/5 less electricity than the later Í50s and Í60s models,î he adds. One thing that did happen in the 1950s was the introduction of color„green, sunshine yellow, pink, and robinÍs egg blue became popular.

Both Santoro and Arnold cook on antique stoves. Arnold has a 1950s electric range and a 1928 Frigidaire refrigerator. ñItÍs a grey and white cabinet up on legs with handsome chrome hardware,î he says proudly. Santoro cooks on a six-burner OÍKeefe and Merritt that he swears by. When asked if they would be willing to trade in their antiques for a new commercial range, both said, ñNot a chance.î