1959 Frigidaire Custom Imperial Range - in Charcoal

[swestoyz]

Hey Gang -

A local friend needed some help picking up a Singer sewing machine and cabinet (it was a large cabinet) up in Austin, MN.

Earlier this week he had arranged to have us go pick up the cabinet and machine on Saturday. On Friday I joked with him, "better watch out - I might find something along the way!"

While getting ready Saturday morning I cruised the Rochester CL to find this:

 

[swestoyz]

Now, it's no Control Tower Unimatic in charcoal, but I couldn't believe it. For a future home I have thought about finding a 58 or 59 range, but I had no intention of looking for one now as the basement is already full enough.

However, I couldn't pass this color up!

I contacted the seller, and after striking a deal, I had made arrangements to pick it up in Rochester after I helped my friend in Austin.

In the flesh...

 

[swestoyz]

The seller mentioned that the original owner of the home had also owned the local appliance store in Rochester. Sometime in '58 or '59 he had the kitchen remodeled, and the store owner installed the nicest TOL appliances from his store in his house.

The second owner of the house didn't cook much, per the seller, thus may be the reason why the range survived all these years. The seller's wife loved this range, and raved at how much she loved using it. I could tell she was happy it was going to a loving home, but was sad to see it go.

At one point a friend of hers found a spare deep well at a garage sale.

 

[swestoyz]

Back in Waterloo...

Also, when the seller bought the house, the matching bottom freezer fridge was also in daily use. Unfortunately it met it's demise about 15 years ago. I can only imagine what the set looked like.

 

[swestoyz]

Custom Imperial

The story was told that everything works on the stove, including the Speed Heat burner. Currently I don't have a way to test this fable so I'll take his word for it.

She took very good care of the range, unfortunately there is a strange haze around the burners and above the main oven. I'm not sure if it is cleaners or a burn through in the porcelain.

Also, there are two chips in the finish along the edge.

 

[swestoyz]

The knob for the clock was in the deep well and does not stay on the clock shaft very well.

 

[swestoyz]

Acres of controls

 

[swestoyz]

Burner controls

 

[swestoyz]

Model tag

 

[swestoyz]

Heat Minder was updated not too long after it was put into service.

 

[swestoyz]

All in all, it is a pretty range, and was well taken care of. Besides the two chips, the clock knob, and a broken main oven light switch, it is complete.

I'm not sure what I'll do with it, so for now it will take a rest in the basement.

Ben

 

[kevin313]

Magnificent!

I've never seen one in this color - it's absolutley beautiful! Congrats on the find and it's wonderful that it will be going to a loving home!!

 

[norgeway]

Haze on porcelian...

This is very similar to a heat tint you get on stainless steel if it is overheated, I dont know of a cure, but you might could compound it out with automotive rubbibg compound, I know this will take out scratches.

 

[appnut]

Almost as beautiful as Venus' charcoal gray custom imperial range!!!  And congratulations on discovering this beautiful piece of  design and saving it for all of us to enjoy and if not you, someone else will get to enjoy this range.  Cool the cook well pot was found at a garage sale one time.

 

[mattl]

I have it's white brother and like it quite a bit.  Unfortunately the heat minder is long gone and there is a crack in the glass panel, but the roaster, griddle, rotisserie and temp probe all are still around.  I believe the florescent tube is original too. Love to have a nice golden juicy rotisserie chicken in the middle of winter.
 
I do have the manuals too if you want a scan. Note, the oven will not work if the Cookmatic is in the off position as pictured, needs to be in MAN...
 
I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

[swestoyz]

Thanks for the kind words fellas. I have found myself starring at it for no reason over the last day.

Yes Matt, I'd love a scanned copy of the manual. It is missing the rotisserie and temp probe - for now I can live without. I do have a question - does your main oven have a 'liner' at the bottom of the oven? I noticed the second oven had a liner in which the element rested on using a special wire stand - the main oven has the wire but doesn't have the liner. I don't remember either way from using Greg's '59.

Ben

 

[goatfarmer]

Beautiful range, Ben, you are really livin' right!

 

[mattl]

The liner was for the smaller oven since it did not pull out to clean. I'll try and scan the books, but it may be a while, remind me in a week or two if you don't hear from me...

 

[mixfinder]

Nothing But The Finest

Hook'er up and I'll be there to play some food music.  What an amazing instrument.  That's seals it, time to sell the house and begin on one that will hold a 40 inch range and about 50 appliances of choice as well.  I think Omaha has some really nice ranch homes for a reasonable price.

 

[philr]

There was one just like it on eBay a few years ago. One of m favourite ranges and my favourite color!

 

Note how close are the serial numbers!

 

[philr]

Another picture...

 

[philr]

A 30" 1959 Custom Imperial in a French Canadian movie (my '65 Buick Wildcat also appears in this movie).

 

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1153111/

 

[philr]

The action in this movie was supposed to take place in 1966. It was filmed in Beloeil QC in 2007.

 

In the same kitchen, there was also a Frigidaire refrigerator but unfortunately, it was much older!

 

[philr]

Accessories with the '59 on eBay.

 

 

[jetcone]

Wow

close serial numbers there after 51 years!

 

 

 

[mattl]

Mine is 31C26701 if you can't make it out. Still have all the goodies plus the radiant wall roaster/broiler that still gets lots of use. One difference I notice from the previous picture is that my rotisserie has a round knob like end on it vs. the handle shown in the picture. The small gray mat is to protect the oven door when you pull the oven out for cleaning in case anyone was wondering.

The one thing I'm on the hunt for, and odds are I will never find, is the pressure cooker insert that fits in the deep well cooker.

 

[jetaction]

4 ovens in the Swestka home--Perfect!

2 upstairs and now two downstairs, time to dive into that "Joy of Cooking" cookbook buddy boy!  

  You got some vittles to stir up and what perfect timing with cooler weather on its way!!

 

[iheartmaytag]

That is just a very cool range, I have never seen one before.

 

 

 

[franksdad]

Beautiful!

Absollutely beautiful!  Congratulations.

 

[laundromat]

Charcoal Gray was my second favorite pastel color that Frigidaire pioneered back in the 50's and early 60's. my neighbors,the Kaceys,had the Custom Imperial washer and dryer and the bottom freezer Imperial refrigerator.They had the frost free upright Frigidaire freezer in the laundry area,a Kitchen Aid Superba dishwasher and Suburban gas wall oven and 300" wide gas cook top.Both of them in brushed chrome.The kitchen floor tiles were all black with silver sparkles on them and the wall covering was Z-Brick.The house was custom built in 1959.In their previous house in Towson,MD., they had the wall mounted Frigidaire cook tops,the french door wall oven,dishwasher,refrigerator washer/dryer and disposer.That house was too big and they moved up the street from us into a 3 bedroom 1 bath with a two car garage and an enclosed/heated back patio.