Some of this week's small finds! Kelvinator and Hotpoint.

[philr]

For a long time, I've been searching for a fluorescent-lighted Frigidaire dealer sign from the early 1960s but I haven't found one yet. But earlier this week, there was a Kelvinator dealer sign that was advertised locally and I thought it would be cool to get it even if I don't have a Kelvinator appliance. Kelvinator is a brand that my grandfather really liked since the company he worked for sold Kelvinator appliances (that were rebadged as Leonard) for the Canadian market. He always bought Kelvinator fridges and freezers even after he retired from Northern Electric and after Kelvinator was sold to WCI!

 

So yesterday, I installed it in a dark spot of my garage and I now have some lighting there!

 



 

The ballast buzzes but it still working! 

 

 I guess the buzzing acted as an appliance magnet as today, I went for some small appliance hunting with Paul and I got a Kelvinator dehumidifier to add to my very small non-Frigidaire collection! 



I'm sure my grandfather would like that, if he'd still be alive!

 

It was made for Kelvinator by Ebco Manufacturing, the company that also made Oasis water coolers. Recently, Paul got a similar-looking GE dehumidifier, I'm wondering if it's made by the same company for GE or if it's a GE product?



 

It was made at a time when owners were still supposed to be able to do some minor maintenance their appliances!



 

 

So I followed the instructions and oiled the fan motor! I don't know the pint removal capacity, it's certainly very low by today's standards but at least, I think it's unlikely to catch fire and melt like some of today's 70 pint units! It uses a small Tecumseh pancake compressor that's very silent (and it seems to work fine too!). 

 



 

It does have an humidistat! I really like the finish on the cabinet. 

 



 

I hope the lighted sign will continue to attract vintage Kelvinator appliances, an orbital washer would be great!  

 

 

Now, the next find was an Hotpoint Kettle. I didn't have the time to clean it and the picture ain't too good (I used the flash as I didn't want to see my reflection on it!).

 



 

It's missing the original cord but one from my other GE kettles works there.



 

Now, the part that puzzles me. I would have expected to see some GE-related branding but not RCA-Victor! And a UL approval on a Canadian-made appliance. 

 



 

In Canada, electric kettles seem to be more popular than in the States. I don't know if people from other provinces use them for tea like I assume they do in UK, but here, a lot of people use them to make instant coffee... Not something I'm fond of but that's what a lot of French-Canadians like me seem to drink! A friend served me an instant coffee tonight (but she is one of the rare persons I know that uses a stove top kettle rather than an electric one). I managed to drink it, as I always do, unless someone adds milk or sugar in it (I like these in chocolate but not in coffee!) but I still have the remaining taste in my mouth hours later!

 

I got a few more things I really didn't need but I couldn't resist! Still, I had a very nice day with Paul! Paul also got me a Birthday present that's still in the box! 

 

[supersuds]

Those are some neat finds! I didn't know Kelvinator was distributed by Northern Electric in Canada. Did they do much local manufacturing?

You're right that electric kettles arent seen much in the US. The ones I've owned (Toastmasters) were made in Canada and have been a little hard to find.

 

[philr]

Kelvinator was distributed in Canada but Leonard (which were rebadges Kelvinator appliances) was distributed by Northern Electric. Their main activity was telephone equipment (they were related to Western Electric in the US) but they also sold radios, appliances and distributed other brands. I have a portable ironer which is a Gainaday Gladiron that's the same as the Thor Gladiron in the US.

 

This one would need cleaning too... But I haven't planned to clean or to use this in the near future!



 



 



 

They sold Gurney ranges but later they sold Kelvinator ranges rebadged as Leonard. My grandfather had the exact same fridge when I was a kid.



 

The Leonard brand was also sold in the US, I don't know who/why/when but I have seen the Leonard-branded version of the Food-O-Rama on internet. 

 

Here's a Leonard fridge distributed by Northern Electric. 

 

 

 

 

 

[philr]

A closer view at the handle. 

 

[philr]

Here's a Leonard version (also with the NE emblem on the right) of a Kelvinator range. 

 

[philr]

And another Leonard range, this one was advertised as a 1961 model. 

 

[frigilux]

Wow, that Kelvinator dehumidifier looks like a piece of furniture! Lots of great finds, there, Phil.

 

[wiskybill]

Phil
Luv the dehumidifier. I have the identical Oasis model.
Unfortunately, mine no longer cools. It has a leak somewhere, but
I'm not parting with it yet.

 

[petek]

I also have my parents identical Oasis dehumidifier and it still works beautifully. It's very quiet and unobtrusive unlike any other dehumidfier I've ever heard since. Dad bought it in the early 60s. I believe when I shot this pic was a time a couple of years ago when the hot water tank valve leaked and I had to do some water cleanup with the shopvac and pressed the old Oasis into service as well LOL

 

[petek]

As for electric kettles that's what we always had. My mother was a huge tea drinker and hearing her say "would you plug the kettle in" was a common phrase around our house.. I don't recollect people using stove top kettles really.

Instant coffee... yuk. According to my partner it was the preferred choice in Newfoundland with condensed milk, double yuk I set him on the righteous path though with good coffee.

 

[philr]

Pete, can you show me a picture of the water container at the back? Mine is lacking one and I guess it attaches in the two holes at the back but I'm wondering what it looks like. Also is there any kind of water level switch to stop it when the water container is full? On mine I see nothing like that... Not that it matters much as I'll just leave it above the floor drain!

 

[petek]

The bucket

Here it is. There is no overflow switch, the only downside. I don't have a floor drain to use a garden hose either.

 

[petek]

x

 

[petek]

I just noticed something odd... on the bottom of your kettle it says Hotpoint and RCA Victor...?

 

[cadman]

Wow Phil, what a goldmine! That dehumidifer is very cool!

 

[tomturbomatic]

The electric kettles that GE sold in the US were made in Canada. The GE rep said there was not as much of a demand for them in the states. I had customers come into the store in the early 70s asking for one and, in talking with them, discovered that they were from Canada. My older GE has a vapor switch so you can select Constant Full Boil or Boil then hold at a simmer and, of course, it is bilingually labeled.

 

[philr]

Thanks for the picture Pete, I'll try to recreate something similar! 

 

Tom, I noticed that too when I was looking for these on eBay. They are easier to find at thrift stores around than on eBay! The funny thing about this Hotpoint is the RCA Victor stamping on the bottom... I was also wondering if Hotpoint had kettles with a similar design in the UK?

 

[turquoisedude]

Kinda off-topic, but years ago, I had a Hotpoint upright vacuum that also mentioned the 'RCA Victor Corporation' on the label! I wonder if that was a Canadian thing...

 

[petek]

Does anyone recall ever seeing RCA branded small kitchen appliances? I'm thinking that there may have been some for a short while. But mainly I just remember washers/dryers and stoves etc.