This kitchen pic cooktop showed up on the mcm website with the Western Holly wall ovens.. Any idea what it is. I can't even tell if those are gas or electric burners or what?
Name the cooktop.
- Thread starter petek
- Start date
Western Holly
are they gas or electric and do you cook right on those chromey looking plates..
Formica ad?
That's pretty to look at, what a kitchen! The chrome on the W-H cooktop is stunning.
One of these (sets) showed up on our CL a bit ago and I had to stare at that cooktop for a while. It appears you cook directly on the plate above the gas flame. I think Okeefe & Merritt had a similar design, but only on one burner.
See the star shape in the center of the two middle burners? Anyone know what those are for? I would guess removable for low flame.
http://omaha.craigslist.org/app/4334619052.html
That's pretty to look at, what a kitchen! The chrome on the W-H cooktop is stunning.
One of these (sets) showed up on our CL a bit ago and I had to stare at that cooktop for a while. It appears you cook directly on the plate above the gas flame. I think Okeefe & Merritt had a similar design, but only on one burner.
See the star shape in the center of the two middle burners? Anyone know what those are for? I would guess removable for low flame.
http://omaha.craigslist.org/app/4334619052.html
I've only looked briefly but it looks like Western Holly units were gas. I saw no mention of anything being electric. As far as those burner grates they just have simmer plates built into them. You would put your cookware right on them.
What a room! Was this Dione Lucas' kichen???
OMG!!! What am I asking! Caloric would never have allowed it.
It warms my heart to think that somebody on this continent in the '50's thought so highly of food and cooking to create a kitchen like this!
Proof that there is an exception to every rule; if somebody had described this kitchen to me verbally, the subject of phony wood-grain laminate surfaces (lots of it ) would have come up and I would have thought this was, to use a St. Grothillsexism, <span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">GHASTLY</span>.
But, seeing it in a photograph, I think it's wonderful. What is the "mcm" site?
OMG!!! What am I asking! Caloric would never have allowed it.
It warms my heart to think that somebody on this continent in the '50's thought so highly of food and cooking to create a kitchen like this!
Proof that there is an exception to every rule; if somebody had described this kitchen to me verbally, the subject of phony wood-grain laminate surfaces (lots of it ) would have come up and I would have thought this was, to use a St. Grothillsexism, <span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">GHASTLY</span>.
But, seeing it in a photograph, I think it's wonderful. What is the "mcm" site?
You can also just make out the left profile of a 2nd oven set in the very right edge of the pic. Hotpoint fridge, right?
Me want!!
Me want!!
iheartmaytag
Well-known member
No idea who made it, but it sure do be pruddy.
My only thought is the narrow island with someone walking by if you have a pot or to on to boil and a fry pay sizzling, seems a bit dangerous.
When I had a island kitchen, there was a foot or so between the back of the range and the walk path.
My only thought is the narrow island with someone walking by if you have a pot or to on to boil and a fry pay sizzling, seems a bit dangerous.
When I had a island kitchen, there was a foot or so between the back of the range and the walk path.
norgeway
Well-known member
All Gas!
That is a Servel fridge, The Western Holly Cooktop was designed to cook on the plates, if you wanted you could remove part of it and cook directly on the flame, what a beautiful kitchen.
That is a Servel fridge, The Western Holly Cooktop was designed to cook on the plates, if you wanted you could remove part of it and cook directly on the flame, what a beautiful kitchen.
The problem with the W-H burners was that the round burner bowls and grates were not anchored with a pin. The collar of the round grate sat in the round bowl, the rounded sides of which just sat in the round opening. A neighbor had a scare when tipping a large pot to spoon fat out after browning ground meat and the bowl and grate skittered away from her and risked dumping the contents of the pot down her front.
I lived with one of these for a few months in a rental. Fortunately there was a very well designed and installed Tradewinds ventilation system in the kitchen that even had an intake vent over the oven. I never quite understood the burner covers though because for normal sized pans, they just seemed the throw the flame further away from the base of the pan.
I wonder what the name is of the color on the refrigerator; custom no doubt since the builder was a designer.
I lived with one of these for a few months in a rental. Fortunately there was a very well designed and installed Tradewinds ventilation system in the kitchen that even had an intake vent over the oven. I never quite understood the burner covers though because for normal sized pans, they just seemed the throw the flame further away from the base of the pan.
I wonder what the name is of the color on the refrigerator; custom no doubt since the builder was a designer.
Ken, mcm = mid century modern
Wow. first kitchen I've ever seen with countertops matched to the cabinetry. Not sure why someone would want to do that, maybe to highlight the pegboard pan rack? 
Also I noticed the lack of ventilation for the stove. Did designers back then assume wall vents/fans in kitchens?
Last question, my other half wants to know if all the burners went out if someone leaned up against the air intake.
Also I noticed the lack of ventilation for the stove. Did designers back then assume wall vents/fans in kitchens?
Last question, my other half wants to know if all the burners went out if someone leaned up against the air intake.
It's not the air intake, but W-H had a very deep burner box on the older ones, maybe 9 inches deep. The grate is just ventilation for under there maybe to help with heat and moisture. I think I remember other gas cooktops that had a vent in the front of the cabinet.
I think the island has a stainless steel counter around the stainless steel cooktop. I hope the house had great air conditioning to cope with all of those burners.
I think the island has a stainless steel counter around the stainless steel cooktop. I hope the house had great air conditioning to cope with all of those burners.
There is a crippling lack of outlets for a functional kitchen. Six gas burners and two gas ovens with little or no ventilation
would make one a fan of small electrical appliances in short order.
I wondered the same thing about the air intake vent on the cabinet being blocked by a pretty ric-rac apron.
Ecko and Revere may have also lent a hand, a couple of dozen utensils will be very handy when trying to knock pan lids from the pegboard three inches from the ceiling.
Given that it's a magazine mock-up kitchen sponsored by Formica, Ecko, and the AGA, some forgiveness for it's shortcomings should be allowed. It sure is pretty to look at though!
would make one a fan of small electrical appliances in short order.
I wondered the same thing about the air intake vent on the cabinet being blocked by a pretty ric-rac apron.
Ecko and Revere may have also lent a hand, a couple of dozen utensils will be very handy when trying to knock pan lids from the pegboard three inches from the ceiling.
Given that it's a magazine mock-up kitchen sponsored by Formica, Ecko, and the AGA, some forgiveness for it's shortcomings should be allowed. It sure is pretty to look at though!
Jeff,
Every surface in that kitchen is formica. Talk about easy cleaning! Having grown up in a MCM house, venting was usually not yet then a big issue. We had a Tradewinds exhaust fan-3 speeds inside a copper hood housing over the island and it was just O.K. Ventilation was a rather new idea to many. Greg
Every surface in that kitchen is formica. Talk about easy cleaning! Having grown up in a MCM house, venting was usually not yet then a big issue. We had a Tradewinds exhaust fan-3 speeds inside a copper hood housing over the island and it was just O.K. Ventilation was a rather new idea to many. Greg
Greg where'd you get that it's a magazine mock up ? Maybe it is but I was under the impression that it was the actual kitchen of the home designer.
I wondered about the peg board and the ceiling as well. I don't think all formica cabinetry was totally uncommon. I've seen it done before in bathrooms and wouldn't swear on a stack of Bibles but think the first house I grew up in had formica bathroom cabinets.
I wondered about the peg board and the ceiling as well. I don't think all formica cabinetry was totally uncommon. I've seen it done before in bathrooms and wouldn't swear on a stack of Bibles but think the first house I grew up in had formica bathroom cabinets.
It look's TOO perfect! Every copper pan bottom is too shiny and my Mother had Revere pots and pans and there's way to much shine all around. Still a cool kitchen and one I'd be proud to have. Of course, I'd have to dress like Dan Draper--no, I don't do pearls well... and well, today I haven't gotten out of my P.J.'s.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
It's Supposedly....
The Beverly Hills kitchen of furniture designer Paul Laszlo. He's said to have designed it himself. I would bet my left nevermind that the photo dates from 1954 or 1955.
The use of so much laminate in a woodgrain pattern was something seen fairly often in the midcentury years - laminate was pretty new, and woodgrain didn't yet have the ticky-tack connotation is has now (not that I had anything to do with that, LOL!). One of the Case Study Houses had a kitchen heavy on Ye Olde Fayke Woode Graine - and the Case Study Houses were intended to represent the ultimate in midcentury good taste, among other things.
Of course, in a Beverly Hills house, this would be five or six kitchens ago, if indeed the house even still exists.
Laszlo was one of the greats - there is a Wikipedia article on him if you want to know more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_László
The Beverly Hills kitchen of furniture designer Paul Laszlo. He's said to have designed it himself. I would bet my left nevermind that the photo dates from 1954 or 1955.
The use of so much laminate in a woodgrain pattern was something seen fairly often in the midcentury years - laminate was pretty new, and woodgrain didn't yet have the ticky-tack connotation is has now (not that I had anything to do with that, LOL!). One of the Case Study Houses had a kitchen heavy on Ye Olde Fayke Woode Graine - and the Case Study Houses were intended to represent the ultimate in midcentury good taste, among other things.
Of course, in a Beverly Hills house, this would be five or six kitchens ago, if indeed the house even still exists.
Laszlo was one of the greats - there is a Wikipedia article on him if you want to know more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_László
I totally missed that it was a real house! How interesting, perhaps he and Maxine didn't cook (with lids) at home much, besides having plenty of household help to "keep the kitchen." I wonder what was in the laundry room?
Still looks like a Formica ad ;-)
Still looks like a Formica ad ;-)
You can tell it's a real kitchen
By the sun shining through by the breakfast table. This looks like a showplace catering kitchen. Funny, I thought at first that the burner grates were nicely chromed covers for electric coils! That peg board is very Julia Child's kitchen (she was a Californian, after all).
I worked in a former nun's residence in Chicago for a while (it had been the teaching order residence for a Girls HS and all that was left was the residence) which had similar formica with chevron handles in what was left of the kitchen. Unfortunately they were pitted and the formica (which was more "frosted" than this) was delaminating.
By the sun shining through by the breakfast table. This looks like a showplace catering kitchen. Funny, I thought at first that the burner grates were nicely chromed covers for electric coils! That peg board is very Julia Child's kitchen (she was a Californian, after all).
I worked in a former nun's residence in Chicago for a while (it had been the teaching order residence for a Girls HS and all that was left was the residence) which had similar formica with chevron handles in what was left of the kitchen. Unfortunately they were pitted and the formica (which was more "frosted" than this) was delaminating.
cornutt
Well-known member
I'm guessing that cookware on the pegboard was mostly for looks. They probably kept the stuff they actually used tucked away in the cabinets.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
David:
If I'm not mistaken, the Laszlo house was on Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills - about the toniest address you could have there in the early '50s.
And if you can afford to live on Roxbury, you can afford help to shine the pots and pans, trust me.
If I'm not mistaken, the Laszlo house was on Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills - about the toniest address you could have there in the early '50s.
And if you can afford to live on Roxbury, you can afford help to shine the pots and pans, trust me.
Pink refrigerator
I was thinking maybe Hotpoint, but if the ad was sponsered by A.G.A., I wonder if it is a Servel gas unit?
Its a nice kitchen, but a little too much fake woodgrain for me. I'm surprised it has an enamel sink instead of stainless steel.
Roxbury Dr. was where Lucy lived; I think 1000 N. was the address.
I was thinking maybe Hotpoint, but if the ad was sponsered by A.G.A., I wonder if it is a Servel gas unit?
Its a nice kitchen, but a little too much fake woodgrain for me. I'm surprised it has an enamel sink instead of stainless steel.
Roxbury Dr. was where Lucy lived; I think 1000 N. was the address.
ventilation
While we don't see the entire ceiling, some kitchens of this era had ceiling mounted exhaust fans above the cooktop or range, possibly this kitchen also.
While we don't see the entire ceiling, some kitchens of this era had ceiling mounted exhaust fans above the cooktop or range, possibly this kitchen also.
ventilation
While we don't see the entire ceiling, some kitchens of this era had ceiling mounted exhaust fans above the cooktop or range, possibly this kitchen also.
While we don't see the entire ceiling, some kitchens of this era had ceiling mounted exhaust fans above the cooktop or range, possibly this kitchen also.
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