Quest for a 1960's Caloric Wall Oven and Cooktop; Any advice?

[planetirving]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to the site but excited to be a member. I have been planning a "retro-renovation" of our kitchen and am in need of some advice and or leads. The kitchen of our 1962 Ranch was badly "redone" in a "sell this house cheap" way a number of years ago. A wonderful matching GE wall oven, cooktop, etc combo was removed, along with the backsplash tile, etc. They replaced it all with a cheap stove and poorly installed drywall. Needless to say, I am planning on replacing the remaining original wood cabinets with vintage metal (possibly Geneva), and want to use a 1960's era Caloric Gas wall oven and cook top. I have located one not too far from where I live but it is not the exact model I had hoped to find but it is PInk, which is a plus. It needs a bit of tlc and probably some cleaning but the biggest issue is that the main oven control knob has almost all the lettering worn off. Is this replaceable or repairable? I include a photo below along with a link for a vintage flyer of the deluxe unit I really would love to find (or at least the plainer model with those graphics, cooktop, and the hood, etc). Anyone have advice on the one I am looking at and or leads on another such Caloric set?

Many Thanks!!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/93099540/early-1960s-ad-caloric-wall-oven-range

 

[william637]

Vintage Searches

Welcome to the site.

I am relatively new to the site as well, but I have found several items at the local habitat for humanity stores.

Another way I have found items is through craigslist searches. The link that I am attaching allows you to search all craiglists over an entire state - saves a lot of time.

Good luck with your search!

http://www.themccumbers.com/States.htm

 

[tomturbomatic]

Caloric

Like this?

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/app/2988370191.html

 

[firedome]

Sounds like you're a denizen

Of Pam Kubler's blog/website:
www.retrorenovation.com

I love it. She had a post a year or so ago about a NOS Caloric set just like that!!
Not sure what happened to it, but they wanted a ton of $$$$ for it.

My advice is: eBay,Craigslist,eBay,Craigslist,eBay,Craigslist... you get the idea.

 

[planetirving]

Thank you all for the replies. The one in PA is already promised. The one Pam Kubler had on her site was also on eBay at one point. Not sure if it sold or not, but it was beautiful and MIB! The asking price was, however, really high, I agree. I am not in a rush, as the kitchen redo is probably on the 2013 project list (this year includes interior painting, new flooring, restoring the moldings, and it is all DIY. It would be nice, however, to lock a oven/cooktop down, along with the cabinets, but getting the word out is half the battle!

By the way, here is something I just came across concerning the Caloric Brand Name; "Caloric Brand Products are to be made again!" I include a link to the story below. Now if only they wold make a "Retro Inspired" set that matches the add I posted a link to above in my first post! I would buy that!



http://news.yahoo.com/caloric-brand-reintroduced-home-appliances-070417228.html

 

[statenislandgwm]

We had the same oven and stove pictured in the ad in stainless steel growing up in Jersey City, the knobs on the stove had different color inserts which matched a medallion on the center of the stove with each color "pointing" to a different burner, the left rear burner was a burner with a brain. The stove and oven were both "Ultramatic", I believe the oven had a probe in it and that underneath it's window it said "Observador" or something like that...also the stove had two red bakelite? latches on the front that locked the cooktop to the counter.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Interesting, but who's gonna build them? Putting Caloric's name on a piece of crap is not going to make it a quality piece of equipment anymore than putting Maytag's name on a Norge made it a Maytag. And if it's just the Caloric label on something already on the market, what good is that? I would guess (hope) they are not going to waste time and money making gas wall ovens; that train has left the station, empty. There is only so much that can be done with burner designs today. It's pretty much all been tried. Remember Whirlpool's Blanket of Flame burner with the blower under the cooktop so that, supposedly, you could cook on a paper plate without it burning? What is this company going to do? Caloric had some fabulous designs & styling in the early 60s. Is that going to be their forte again? I remember that they offered a large line of stoves with all kinds of features which is probably what drove them out of business. They offered the gas convection oven range, but I don't know if that and later innovations like the ME range with the micro-thermal oven were from Caloric or Raytheon.

My Amana Radar Range Plus with the micro-thermal oven is a rebadged Caloric ME range and claims some parentage from Philco's electric range line, but that was after Caloric was sold to Ratheon, I think. I wonder if the name Caloric means anything to younger buyers after so many years of not being seen in the market.

 

[firedome]

I agree

and wonder if they will even be US made, or will it be: "assembled in US", and what they don't say is: of Chinese made parts. My guess is a new Caloric will be an answer to a question that wasn't asked. I hope I'm wrong, but doubt it.

BTW why be hung up on Caloric, as early as 1952 Chambers for example had a full line of upscale separates, including Hobart made dishwasher, side by side fridge, wall ovens and cooktops, in both gas and electric, made to the finest standards, better than Caloric. They are on eBay often. Thermador also comes to mind as makers of excellent separates in that period.

 

[wayupnorth]

Caloric gas products were very popular around here and our local Suburban Propane sold alot of them. In 1961, I believe, my grandmother bought this gas grill for us, so I think it is old enough to post these front covers of the instructions. I still have the grill but unfortunately can not find a replacement cast iron burner for it.

 

[norgeway]

I have a!

1967 Caloric wall oven that has the Ultra Ray broiler, it was originally avocado, but has been painted white, i bought it in Winston Salem at an estate sale, book and all for 50.oo and it really looks like new, I hope to use it sometime, i will try to post a picture soon.

 

[planetirving]

HI All,

I really like the look of that particular Caloric line, if I can be so shallow about it, and they are gas appliances. I know there are other options and going back to say, a GE electric would be being "original" for our Ranch and would be easier to find (I do like to nice stream line look of the cook tops), but I am trying to be different. Half the fun is looking, anyway. Check out the link below from a old Retro Renovation on a set of MIB Caloric Appliances and why I really want to find at least the oven and cooktop from this or a similar set. The set is long gone

Mid century designer Beatrice West - and NOS Caloric pink kitchen appliances saved from a trash heap - 16 photos - Retro Renovation

Reader Nancy recently made an exciting and valuable discovery in a neighbor’s pile set out for the trash man: A set of vintage Caloric kitchen appliances and sink — New Old Stock, still in the original boxes. Including: Built-in oven with warming drawer (?), gas cooktop, splash back, range hood...

retrorenovation.com

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Naturally, it's the brand of Gas Range, CALORIC, that I like best, that simply falls right off the throne of the Queen of Ranges, and becoming an under-dog, unreliable, becoming an AMANA, the company Caloric was chiefly affiliated with, under Raytheon's umbrella, and then getting completely phased-out, thus filling yet-another grave in appliance history!!!!

I used to be under the impression gas wall-ovens could be had as self-cleaning & having two oven cavities much like electrics, until decades later, learning about all that heat they give off & the likely complexities making the purchase price & installation a bit expensive & off-putting...

But good luck in obtaining, as well as keeping whatever cooktop/wall oven combo you decide on in model condiition & bringing back the time when an immaculate kitchen was the kitchen of everyone's dream & pursuing that dream, as well as achieving it, was in the best of shape!

-- dave

 

[firedome]

Did those Calorics actually sell on eBay?

something makes me recall they were a No Sale. But anyway it was kind of annoying that Nancy found this set in the garbage for free, then turned around and set the price so crazy high.

 

[planetirving]

That Pink Caloric set eBay listing...

FYI, the link below is to the eBay sale. It appears to have had no buyer.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[william637]

$8,499???!!!!

Are you high, Clairee?

 

[westingman123]

Clairee, high?

Only Ouiser would buy at that price. After all, she has more money than God.

 

[firedome]

That's what I thought!

And talk about unmitigated gall!! Get something for free, and then greed-out like that, $8500!!!! Sheeeeesh! One can only hope she gets a clue.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Or chokes on them. Or stumbles and falls over them as they sit unsold.

 

[statenislandgwm]

They will never sell at that price. If I recall correctly someone from this group was kind enough to send her the missing trim piece that goes under the stove knobs.