Beautiful Chambers built ins!
- Thread starter norgeway
- Start date
firedome
Well-known member
I suspect...
that these were "Antique Copper" finish that went bad and were professionally repainted... I have these same units in the Copper and also have the original sales brochures (copies of which are available here) and there is no listing for such a color. The Antique Copper finish was electroplated over steel and then given a light antique-looking streaking, which was subsequently coated with clear enamel. Unfortunately this did not hold up well over time. Our In-A-Wall oven in Antique Copper was brand new when we got it, having been stored in an Indiana basement for 57 years and never used, but the humidity caused the oven door to develop some splotches of darker color due to minor rusting of the steel beneath the finish. The rest of the oven still looks good except for a few small places. It just was not durable and often the Antique Copper finished ranges as well as separates look quite horrendous. The Copper electroplating can be redone, one person at the Chambers site has done so, but it's very expensive. To find clean original Copper finish Chambers is almost impossible. I'd wager in this case they opted for a repaint.
that these were "Antique Copper" finish that went bad and were professionally repainted... I have these same units in the Copper and also have the original sales brochures (copies of which are available here) and there is no listing for such a color. The Antique Copper finish was electroplated over steel and then given a light antique-looking streaking, which was subsequently coated with clear enamel. Unfortunately this did not hold up well over time. Our In-A-Wall oven in Antique Copper was brand new when we got it, having been stored in an Indiana basement for 57 years and never used, but the humidity caused the oven door to develop some splotches of darker color due to minor rusting of the steel beneath the finish. The rest of the oven still looks good except for a few small places. It just was not durable and often the Antique Copper finished ranges as well as separates look quite horrendous. The Copper electroplating can be redone, one person at the Chambers site has done so, but it's very expensive. To find clean original Copper finish Chambers is almost impossible. I'd wager in this case they opted for a repaint.
firedome
Well-known member
went back and looked
at the brochures I have, the cooktop and oven were available only in Stainless Steel or Antique Copper. Come to think of it I've never seen them in any other finish, including white!
at the brochures I have, the cooktop and oven were available only in Stainless Steel or Antique Copper. Come to think of it I've never seen them in any other finish, including white!
I wonder why the griddle/broiler was gas in the electric cooktop? I have seen the cooktop with the electric element under the griddle. I would not want to clean that broiler compartment. I wonder if the lift handle also shut off the gas or electric to the broiler. Even if it did, it would not be pleasant to have all of that heat in the face from the raised broiler element or burner as you turned the meat.
firedome
Well-known member
Does seem odd...
but in any event the electric versions of these are far rarer than the gas versions. The oven has the same famous heavy iron bottom-plate heat sink, ground cast iron door seals, and super-insulation that the gas version does, and "Cooks with the Electricity Turned Off" is stenciled on the inner door, as we have an electric oven but gas cooktop, bought separately.
but in any event the electric versions of these are far rarer than the gas versions. The oven has the same famous heavy iron bottom-plate heat sink, ground cast iron door seals, and super-insulation that the gas version does, and "Cooks with the Electricity Turned Off" is stenciled on the inner door, as we have an electric oven but gas cooktop, bought separately.
Is the electric oven without a broiler also? I saw a Chambers oven of this vintage in some thrift store decades ago and there was a griddle plate in the oven that I guess was heated to searing temperature in the oven, the food added and then all of the spatters went all over the hot oven. Yeah, just what you want to clean.
How I would love those cabinets, cooktop and oven to replace our Home Depotized kitchen. Everytime I see pictures like this I get more and more dissatisfied with it
And for the archive
Picture 1
Picture 1
archive
The second picture was really tiny so here is #3
The second picture was really tiny so here is #3
firedome
Well-known member
electric oven
has a recessed 3000 watt broiler element at top, 2000 watt element below. When baking the thermostat feeds 750 w @120v to the top element for more even heat distribution, while the bottom element is 240v. The oven bottom is rounded for easy cleaning. Automatic shutoff via elec clock and manual (spring loaded) bell timer also. The spring loaded mechanical door latch with the ground iron (no gasket) seals reduce heat leakage to a minimum. These were/are high quality ovens. Only drawback is the smallish size.
has a recessed 3000 watt broiler element at top, 2000 watt element below. When baking the thermostat feeds 750 w @120v to the top element for more even heat distribution, while the bottom element is 240v. The oven bottom is rounded for easy cleaning. Automatic shutoff via elec clock and manual (spring loaded) bell timer also. The spring loaded mechanical door latch with the ground iron (no gasket) seals reduce heat leakage to a minimum. These were/are high quality ovens. Only drawback is the smallish size.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
I'd Like to Point Out....
....That the CL ad describes these as "porcelain." The ad also states:
"The finish is a beautiful cherry red and in amazing condition for being 50+ years old."
It would seem that something unusual is going on here. Either the items have been painted, and the seller doesn't know what actually constitutes porcelain, or they've been porcelainized at some point.
Whether that constitutes a factory variation we don't have documentation on, or a porcelainizing job done later, I couldn't say. The seller's representation that the finish is "50+ years old" may or may not be accurate.
If the items are porcelainized, it would be interesting to know how they got that way.
....That the CL ad describes these as "porcelain." The ad also states:
"The finish is a beautiful cherry red and in amazing condition for being 50+ years old."
It would seem that something unusual is going on here. Either the items have been painted, and the seller doesn't know what actually constitutes porcelain, or they've been porcelainized at some point.
Whether that constitutes a factory variation we don't have documentation on, or a porcelainizing job done later, I couldn't say. The seller's representation that the finish is "50+ years old" may or may not be accurate.
If the items are porcelainized, it would be interesting to know how they got that way.
firedome
Well-known member
Sandy, according to my brochures
and experience in watching these over the years and on chamberstoves.net, they only ever came in SS or Antique Copper. The Chambers separates at that time were a bit of a luxury item and came only with the most expensive finishes. Most people don't know from porcelain, and I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that these 2 were merely painted, the AC is almost never to be found in good shape. They can be porcelainized of course, Custom Ceramics out in the mid-west does it for people like Jowers and those West coast places that do restorations, even down to complete color changes... they quoted me $300 to do just the top panel on my '58 40" GE, so it can be done, but not cheaply. I am dubious that is the case here, however, and my guess is that these are not the original owners and are just making assumptions.
and experience in watching these over the years and on chamberstoves.net, they only ever came in SS or Antique Copper. The Chambers separates at that time were a bit of a luxury item and came only with the most expensive finishes. Most people don't know from porcelain, and I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that these 2 were merely painted, the AC is almost never to be found in good shape. They can be porcelainized of course, Custom Ceramics out in the mid-west does it for people like Jowers and those West coast places that do restorations, even down to complete color changes... they quoted me $300 to do just the top panel on my '58 40" GE, so it can be done, but not cheaply. I am dubious that is the case here, however, and my guess is that these are not the original owners and are just making assumptions.
firedome
Well-known member
Oh and one more thing....
as they say... The Model C ranges of the era WERE available in red, and I've seen a fair number of them, as well as several pastel colors, however that red was nothing like this color, more of a real fire engine red, much brighter. So even in the event Chambers might have agreed to do a custom set in porcelain, which is not totally out of the range of possibility, it seems unlikely that they would have used a different shade of red than what was offered in their range model.
as they say... The Model C ranges of the era WERE available in red, and I've seen a fair number of them, as well as several pastel colors, however that red was nothing like this color, more of a real fire engine red, much brighter. So even in the event Chambers might have agreed to do a custom set in porcelain, which is not totally out of the range of possibility, it seems unlikely that they would have used a different shade of red than what was offered in their range model.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Roger:
I don't disagree with you; my post was intended only to raise some questions based in the representations made by the seller in his CL ad.
There are very many people out there who haven't the slightest clue what "porcelain" actually is; in fact, their ignorance is what keeps a lot of bathtub-reglazing shysters in business spraying paint onto damaged porcelain and calling that a repair.
It would take in-person inspection to get much further into finding out the truth, I should think.
I don't disagree with you; my post was intended only to raise some questions based in the representations made by the seller in his CL ad.
There are very many people out there who haven't the slightest clue what "porcelain" actually is; in fact, their ignorance is what keeps a lot of bathtub-reglazing shysters in business spraying paint onto damaged porcelain and calling that a repair.
It would take in-person inspection to get much further into finding out the truth, I should think.
norgeway
Well-known member
Whatever!!
They are...It sure is pretty!!!
They are...It sure is pretty!!!
Wonder if the free-standing model was what Sergio Mendes was cooking on, on his HOMECOOKING album cover????
-- Dave
-- Dave
firedome
Well-known member
agreed Sandy...
most people think porcelain's sort of like another type of paint, whereas it really is essentially like glass, and perhaps somewhat distantly related to powder coating as both fired in an oven similarly, but porcelain is much much harder... and more expensive.I think these owners are probably unaware or under a mistaken impression, but in any event, yes they sure ARE pretty.
Custom Ceramics charges something like $1500-2000 to do a Model C color change (all panels), but presumably one could do a porcelain job on a wall oven/cooktop for considerably less, especially since Chambers provides an option for complete in-wall installation of the oven, instead of having the exposed sides and top as pictured here, so only the face/door of the oven, and front of the cooktop box, would need to be re-done, I'd bet for well under $500. Something to consider... hmmm...the myriad color possibilities are intriguing!
most people think porcelain's sort of like another type of paint, whereas it really is essentially like glass, and perhaps somewhat distantly related to powder coating as both fired in an oven similarly, but porcelain is much much harder... and more expensive.I think these owners are probably unaware or under a mistaken impression, but in any event, yes they sure ARE pretty.
Custom Ceramics charges something like $1500-2000 to do a Model C color change (all panels), but presumably one could do a porcelain job on a wall oven/cooktop for considerably less, especially since Chambers provides an option for complete in-wall installation of the oven, instead of having the exposed sides and top as pictured here, so only the face/door of the oven, and front of the cooktop box, would need to be re-done, I'd bet for well under $500. Something to consider... hmmm...the myriad color possibilities are intriguing!
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