1966 Frigidaire Dryer spotted...

[goatfarmer]

...in Frankfort Indiana today.Model DDAK,white electric.I know people look for washers,but I don't see much interest in dryers,or I would have snatched it.There was also a Kenmore 800 dryer in avacado in the same pile.

If anyone's interested,it's sitting with a lot of trade ins,behind the Brand Source store on Jackson St.

kennyGF

 

[kenmore1978]

non-interest in dryers

I suspect the interest in dryers depends on if one has the matching washer. What it is is that collectors are more likely to settle for a certain washer without the matching dryer than they are to obtain a dryer without the matching washer.

Nothing like a matched set!

 

[Unimatic1140]

Squeeze 42 machines in first

Because the washers are much, much more rare than the dryers. But more importantly squeeze 42 machines into your home and then you'll understand the importants of being very choosy.

 

[kenmore1978]

washer/dryer relative rarity

It would seem that older dryers (from the beginning to around the Mid Sixties) would be just as rare as the washers because even though they lasted much longer than washers, there were a lot fewer of them. When I was growing up (late 50's-early 60's), most of my family and their friends and neighbors had washers, but VERY few had dryers and even fewer had matching sets. That seemed to change after 1965 when I noticed that a lot more people would have dryers.

And let's not even TALK about dishwashers. I didn't see my first built-in DW until 1963 and didn't know portable ones existed until 1968. Anyone with a DW in those days was considered to be living "high on the hog".

 

[Unimatic1140]

But the dryers that were around lasted for many more years than the washers. I have found in my search that I will seen an average of 25 vintage dryers to 1 vintage washer.

 

[westytoploader]

However, I do have one example of a washer lasting longer than a dryer (and a newer washer as well).

Read the Archives and you will see Spiralactivator's post about a relative buying a house. In the basement was a 1964 (If I remember correctly) GE set and a 1988 Kenmore set. They kept what was working, which was the GE washer and the Kenmore dryer. According to the last post about this, both are still going strong without a hint of problem.

--Austin

 

[goatfarmer]

I would think the dryers would last longer simply because of fewer moving parts,and not having to move wet clothes AND water at the same time.
Normally if I pick up a matched set,the dryer works,while the washer usually needs work.

kennyGF

 

[kenmore1978]

dryer life

Interesting,25 to 1, eh? So that means that the longer life of a dryer offset the fact that there were much fewer of them, even in the pre-1965 era.

Yes, a washer has a lot more moving parts, and is subject to the wear caused by moving a heavier load,and the corrosive action of water and laundry chemicals on the components. And of course, here are combos stuffing the components of BOTH machines in one cabinet. They HAD to have been a lot more troublesome than either a washer or dryer alone, and a bitch to work on. That, and the fact they were more expensive, is probably why they are really rare today.