Must-read book!

[veg-o-matic]

Just got a copy of Atomic Kitchen by Brian Alexander.

GREAT book! Lotsa good pix of old appliances. Didn't know Roper made a Flair clone.

veg the former librarian

 

[veg-o-matic]

See?

 

[maytagbear]

And,

So did Tappan! Friend of mine had an electric Tappan Flair clone. I liked to use the smaller oven.

That book sounds very appealing, Veg!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[spiralactivator]

Indeed...

Those eye-level ranges (sometimes called "console ranges" in decorating books of the era) were apparently quite popular. There was the Flair, the Charm (and the Charmette, with over-and-under ovens), the Tappan Fabulous 400, the GE Americana (which was also sold under the Mobile Maid name with a few cosmetic modifications), the early '60s Kenmore Classic Cook Center, and I think Magic Chef offered one. I wish they were still produced.

One of my favorite stores is set up in a converted house, and they have a tea room/juice bar in the very '60s kitchen. It features a Mobile Maid eye-level range and a Kitchen Aid dishwasher by Hobart.

 

[golittlesport]

I remember Westinghouse had a split-level range

 

[westytoploader]

Hotpoint too; I saw a 30" model on Craigslist.

What was the Hotpoint "Flair" called?

 

[tolivac]

Atomic Kitchens book

Is this book still in print-where can I get it?

 

[alr2903]

Roper

I have never seen this one, very nice. Thanks for posting the pic. alr2903

 

[appnut]

I had no idea. I mean seeing the Kenmore cook Center on Donna Reed; Flair on Betwitched; Scott telling me about the Tappan. And now the Roper. I don't consider the GE Americana style (eye-level and lower oven) in the same class as the Flair type arrangement where both or one oven were solely on top of cook surface. But my aunt had a GE flair clone with the single oven above and the cooking surface and then wood cabinets below.

 

[SactoTeddyBear]

Re: Atomic and Retro Books Available:

Hi! Club Friend's, I checked out the Border's Book Web-Site for the Atomic Kitchen Book availability and I found all of these as a full Group of similar Books there also. They really sound like something that this Group would certainly get a "Good Laugh" out of, besides "Remember-When" memories of our Growing Up. Yes, I said "Growing-Up" even though most of us are still "Just Big Kids" at Heart and otherwise. Anyway, here is the Listings and the Author's. They also offer Double Purchase Deals on the Site too.

Peace and Happiness, Steve

1} Retro Kitchen {Listed on Thread First about these books}
By: Brian Alexander

2} Meet Mr. Product
By: Warren Dotz & Mashud Husain

3} Southern California Land
By: Charles Phoenix

4} Retro Beach Bash
By: Linda Everett

5} It's A Wonderful Christmas
By: Susan Waggoner

6} Retro Barbecue
By: Linda Everett

7} Southern California in the '50s
By: Charles Phoenix

8} As Seen On TV
By: Karal Ann Marting

9} All American Ad's of the '50s
By: Jim Heimann

10} Patio Daddy-O
By: Gideon Bosker, et al

11} Going Home to the '50s
By: Bill Yenne

12} Atomic Home
By: Whitney Matheson

13} Retro Breakfast
By: Linda Everett & Richard Perry

14} Retro Romance
By: Cheryl Homme, et al

15} Retro Diner
By: Linda Everett

16} Retro Happy Hour
By: Linda Everett

17} Retro Food Fiascos
By: Kathy Kasey

18} Retro Pies
By: Linda Everett

19} Retro Luau
By: Richard Perry

20} Retro Kids Cooking
By: Richard Perry

 

[alr2903]

Modern Marvels

The History channel had a episode Modern Marvels and they credited the book "NEVER DONE", referring to housework, The program covered refrigeration, Laundry and Vacuum cleaners I believe the author: Susan Strasser. I will look for the ones above. Thanks alr2903

 

[tolivac]

books

Guess I will have to visit the BN bookstore near me to see if they have these-seems like folks have an interest in vintage and some collectable things here.

 

[agiflow]

Common manufacturer

Was there a common manufacturer of these flair type ranges?Or did the independent manufacturers produce their own? Anybody know for sure?

 

[Designgeek]

When I was a kid we had a gas stove with one of those thermostatic things in the center of the burner. I never knew what that was at the time, but now it makes sense. Very clever. Are these still made? And are there electric stoves with similar thermostats?

 

[kenmore1978]

thermostatic things

Yes, those automatic burners were available on gas and electric ranges. Great idea, wonder why they stopped making them? And remember GE having large electric units that were switchable so that only the inner coils would get hot so you could use a small pan on a large unit? Did any other company have this feauture?

 

[david]

Was known as a

Seems like this feature went out with the 60's. Strangely enough, one of my old employers in the early 80's had a GE Americana in our breakroom at work(we did some rather high-profile entertaining at the time) This was a coppertone model dating back to the late 60's, early 70's-never could quite figure it out. It had the eye-level top oven, center surface units, and get this--the bottom oven was a microwave! It looked like an ordinary oven until you opened it and there was a turntable made of stainless, proceeded to operate it like a nuker (I think it locked-can't remember). Honest I haven't been smoking anything; I'll never forget this stove. Maybe it was rettrofitted, anyway it was strange to say the least-maybe was mid 70's model, but had that 60's look.

 

[tolivac]

GE kitchen

At the transmitter site I work at-they had one of those GE Kitchens-was so cool!-the range had the lighted pushbuttons.They remodeled it a few years ago-the GE kitchen was better than what is here now.Also my sister lived in an apartment that had a GE kitchen.-was in Wash DC.

 

[kenmore1978]

GE range

"It had the eye-level top oven, center surface units, and get this--the bottom oven was a microwave! It looked like an ordinary oven until you opened it and there was a turntable made of stainless, proceeded to operate it like a nuker (I think it locked-can't remember)"

My Dad had one of those ranges in Harvest Gold. The bottom oven was a combo regular/microwave oven and it was a P-7 self-cleaning, too. I remember the stainliess turntable that was full of holes. This was at a time when having a microwave was still a big deal

 

[coldspot66]

I'm pretty sure Caloric invented the ME range. ME stands for Microwave/Electric. Caloric had some advanced ideas about cooking(also part of Raytheon). After awhile they also had a gas version. I also think they were the first with a self-cleaning GAS oven in the mid '70's and halogen/induction cooktops.