In Search of 1957-1960 Era Thermador "Bilt-In" Refrigerator with Bottom Freezer!

[apppliancenerd]

I am a volunteer with a museum in the Northeast that owns two Frank Lloyd Wright homes. One has all of its original appliances, the other had its original refrigerator replaced by the last home occupant with a unit that is very out of place. Both homes are now on public tour and the museum is seeking to find a Thermador "Bilt-In" model (made between 1957-1960) in stainless steel with fridge on the top and freezer on the bottom with handles on the right side. Looking for any ideas on where to possibly track down such a unit. It does not have to be in working order but the visible exterior doors would need to be in reasonably good shape to place in the space provided for it. I included a link below to an ad for the model in question. If anyone has any ideas where else to search, please post and I will follow up with you. Thanks. Link to photo of ad.

 

[combo52]

Search for an early late 50s Thermidor built-in refrigerator

Hi, this is gonna be a tough one. I hope there’s one out there somewhere but even as long as I’ve worked in high-end homes, I have never seen one of these refrigerators.

You might want to post the dimensions needed. There were some early subzero’s and Revco refrigerators that were probably similar size made in that time range. You might have a slightly better chance of finding those

The Thermidor might’ve even been made by one of those companies I never even knew Thermidor tried to build a built-in refrigerator until the 2000s when they partnered with KitchenAid and use their built-in refrigerators under their name.

You’re looking for a left-hand door model when the handles are on the right.

If I see one, I’ll let you know.

Which Frank Lloyd Wright house is this for?

John L

 

[apppliancenerd]

Search for an early late 50s Thermidor built-in refrigerator

Hi, this is gonna be a tough one. I hope there’s one out there somewhere but even as long as I’ve worked in high-end homes, I have never seen one of these refrigerators.

You might want to post the dimensions needed. There were some early subzero’s and Revco refrigerators that were probably similar size made in that time range. You might have a slightly better chance of finding those

The Thermidor might’ve even been made by one of those companies I never even knew Thermidor tried to build a built-in refrigerator until the 2000s when they partnered with KitchenAid and use their built-in refrigerators under their name.

You’re looking for a left-hand door model when the handles are on the right.

If I see one, I’ll let you know.

Which Frank Lloyd Wright house is this for?

John L

John:

Thanks for your reply and helpful perspective. Indeed, to find the exact type of unit may be close to impossible, but I will do some online work to check out Revco and Sub-Zero units that might be closer in profile. I had a hot lead on one from a company called Hudson Valley House Parts (New York's Hudson River Valley area) which deals with architectural reclamation from tear downs and demolitions (sadly) of formerly gorgeous mansions and larger homes being taken down for subdivisions and condos. They had an entire Thermador kitchen from that era but they were all in bright yellow and they would not sell the units separately.

The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, NH was left the Zimmerman House by the original owners upon their death and the Kalil House was purchased in more recent years by a generous patron who sold it to the museum for $1. Both were designed by Wright and apprentices at Taliesin in WI. Zimmerman house in 1950 and Kalil in 1955. Both are great examples of Wright's Usonian homes, but the Kalil is known as a "Usonian Automatic" because the house plans included the wherewithal for the homeowner to pour/mould the concrete blocks on si

All of the workspace (kitchen) appliances in the Zimmerman House are white. All original models but for the front-loader Westinghouse washer which the owners bought in the early 70's to replace an original of another make. In 1950, stainless steel was not really an option otherwise Zimmerman wanted stainless, but by 1955 when the Kalil House was built, it was at least an option at a rather steep upcharge. Here is a link to the museum's page about the houses.

I will secure the dimensions of the space where the fridge was positioned.

Thanks again for your reply.

Matt G.

 

[jamiel]

I would be rather skeptical about finding the Thermador version of that (recall that Thermador was LA based and it would be quite unusual to have something as big/bulky shipped cross-country) and concentrate instead on (as mentioned) Sub-Zero (Wisconsin) or Revco (built in Deerfield, MI). You also might want to keep an eye out for Hotpoint, as they were GE's custom/built in vendor at the time. You may wish to collaborate with the Henry Ford museum here in Detroit, as they're seeking a Frigidaire refrigerator from a very specific vintage for a house re-creation from the Civil Rights era.

https://automaticwasher.org/threads/wanted-1959-frigidaire-refrigerator-for-henry-ford-museum.96726/

 

[apppliancenerd]

I would be rather skeptical about finding the Thermador version of that (recall that Thermador was LA based and it would be quite unusual to have something as big/bulky shipped cross-country) and concentrate instead on (as mentioned) Sub-Zero (Wisconsin) or Revco (built in Deerfield, MI). You also might want to keep an eye out for Hotpoint, as they were GE's custom/built in vendor at the time. You may wish to collaborate with the Henry Ford museum here in Detroit, as they're seeking a Frigidaire refrigerator from a very specific vintage for a house re-creation from the Civil Rights era.

https://automaticwasher.org/threads/wanted-1959-frigidaire-refrigerator-for-henry-ford-museum.96726/

Thanks, Jamiel. Agreed, even if we found a unit out west, making arrangements to transport it could be prohibitive or complicated, plus they are not looking for a working unit, only to fill in the void in the kitchen with something as close as possible. Doubtful anyone would have kept a non-functioning unit around.

Interestingly, the Zimmerman House had mostly GE appliances, including an "Electric Sink" but the house was built in 1950 and was a major curiosity at the time. The Kalil House, which has the full Thermador suite in stainless was built five years later, so perhaps different market conditions. It is in a neighborhood of rather upscale homes from that era, so perhaps there was a local appliance dealer who was able to arrange for some kind of shipment east (area was serviced by rail back then). The other part of the country where Thermador appliances were seen during the same period of time was in the Mid-Hudson River Valley area.

I have shared the Revco option with my contact at the museum as another avenue to pursue and I will put them in touch with the Henry Ford Museum. I read up on Revco and how popular they were in Michigan and other nearby states. I am going to reach out to other Wright sites built in the same era to note what brand of kitchen appliance they either have or had.

About a year ago, I was in touch with a firm out in LA that sources such things for movie sets and/or find film locations that have things already in place. It sounds like an interesting and fascinating line of work. Leave no stone unturned!

Matt G.

 

[steved]

Revco in Little Falls, NJ https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1206302551325402

 

[jamiel]

Another couple of things to check: Chambers made/labeled refrigerators in the mid-to-late 50s but was more of a Southern brand. Sears (and perhaps Wards---don't quite recall) also had some of those types of built-in refrigerators in the same period----take a look at the catalogues which are online from that era to get other ideas. Note particularly the "shipping locations" from both Sears and Wards to get an idea of which manufacturer was supplying them. Don't think they were big sellers, but (given the catalogue) probably was not very expensive for Sears/Wards to offer...they would likely not have been shown in-store except in the most modern stores/earliest mall stores.

 

[apppliancenerd]

Revco in Little Falls, NJ https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1206302551325402

Thanks. I am in contact with the person looking to move a Revco unit along.