Lady Kenmore set in Tulsa OK

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retropia

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With any luck, this set will have already been snapped up by someone here. We would not wish to be responsible for any riotous scene of crazed shoppers reminiscent of the annual designer wedding gown sale at Filene's Basement.

The seller is asking $500, and the ad was posted 8/16/13. Since the flea market where the set was to appear already happened, the set could have been sold there, or perhaps it hasn't yet found a buyer. Here is the text in case the ad disappears:

I'm bringing a beautiful set of matching Lady Kenmore Turquoise Washer & Dryer to the Tulsa Flea Market Saturday 8-17-13. The flea Market is at the Tulsa Fairgounds in the lower level of the River Spirit Casion Center (IPE Buliding). I'm Kim. Call me at 918-497-9055 if you have questions.


retropia++8-17-2013-23-31-57.jpg
 
The lighting in that photo is very flattering. I think that a side-by-side pic would be much better. Lots of Lady Kenmores came in as trade-ins but most of them were "verboten" for the used sales floor, even if all they needed was a new pump. They guaranteed all the used stuff and if that timer (with a zillion wires on it) went out it was super expensive to replace. I think at that time (correct me if I'm wrong) parts exclusive to Kenmore had to be ordered through Sears. I remember a local parts place that had a sign that read "Kenmore Parts"...Sears made them take it down.
 
I went and looked at them earlier in the week. First of all, the washer has no motor and the suds saver valve is broken off where the hose connects. It is made out of pot metal and basically corroded and broke. Second is that they ARE NOT a matching set. The washer is a Lady Kenmore, but the dryer is not. It is fairly close as a match to the washer, about the same vintage and such, but it is obvious that it isn't a mate to the washer. I really question whether they are worth $300. I guess they are worth whatever someone will pay for them.
 
Intersting notes about the pair. The corroded suds valve is par for the course on a machine of this age. They are NLA but not really that hard to find in plastic. KM/WP used the same valve from about 1950 all the way through the DD suds savers into the 1990s. These machines can also be operated perfectly as a non-suds machine by plumbing around the valve.

The missing motor is FAR more problematic. This machine used a 3 speed motor which inluded an EXTRA SLOW agitation option. You can certainly put in a more standard 2-speed motor in this machine but you then you lose the extra slow agitation. In my opinion I still think the price is reasonable for that color in that cosmetic condition.
 
The dryer IS a Lady Kenmore.

 

It is the 1965 model.  The clear plastic push buttons were only offered on the 1965 Lady Kenmore models, although that "model" was available until well into 1967. This particular dryer is an early-ish production version since it is in Turquoise and it has the older style drum. By sometime in 1966 or 67 this model dryer would use the revised drum with the stationary rear bulkhead and turquoise had been dropped in favor of shaded avocado.

[this post was last edited: 8/25/2013-12:24]
 
Dryer open

If the set doesn't have to be repainted or rechromed, this seems like a really good price, even if it does need some mechanical work. Cosmetics are usually the most expensive part of any restoration.

retropia++8-25-2013-11-45-49.jpg
 

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