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Nate:

Hats off to you, because you have definitely solved the mystery: "What brand is this?" Looking at your photo above, which appears to be a later model than the unit chez Draper, the indicia, their fonts, everything is a match.

However, we are still left with other mysteries, which may not be solved anytime soon. The site you linked to is quite interesting, but the author makes a very simple, yet critical mistake when they assume the dishwasher is at least as old as the acquisition of Gaffers & Sattler by Magic Chef.

The Website that author links to in support of their theory that the DW goes back to 1969 at the latest actually says that Magic Chef acquired G & S in 1969, not that there were no more G & S-branded appliances after that date. In fact, both the Draper DW and the one in the photo you posted look very much like "acquisition specials' - cheaply-made appliances using a once-exalted name. 1950s and early 1960s Gaffers & Sattlers appliances I've seen pictured are obviously well-made, expensive, luxurious appliances. These two dishwashers are no such thing. And I know enough about their D & M DNA to suspect that they're later than 1969.

I am under a distinct impression that Gaffers & Sattler was very much a West Coast brand, not often seen in the East. I have never seen one of their appliances in person. If that is true, that would put Betty Draper's dishwasher rather a long way from home.

At any rate, we don't know everything yet, but we have an excellent start, thanks to you, Nate. Cheers!
 
Will:

Interesting photo you posted, because it shows something that is hard to spot on the show itself.

That is a modern self-rimming sink, which was later changed to a correct drop-in model with a Hudee ring.
 
I have found this dishwasher twice.  Once behind Lowes, the other behind a Home Depot.

It is a D&M Kelvinator badge machine.  The one behind Lowes was a total loss with parts taken off.  The other was in good shape but I decided to pass.

What is written above the Starburst is "Automatic Dishwasher".  I think the buttons to the left was for heat on, heat off for drying.

The Starburst craze for dishes and such was around 1965 through early 1970's.  The dishwasher could be a late 1960's model.

One of the reasons for passing it by was because it was the crazy D&M design with the huge spray arm ABOVE the glass rack with no spray arm directly below the upper glass rack.  I always wondered what the design group was smoking to think this was a effective design.  

 
 
Brent:

While I can certainly believe that D & M made the identical dishwasher for Kelvinator, I am persuaded that the Draper DW is a Gaffers & Sattler.

If you will look at the photo Nate posted, you will see the Gaffers & Sattler logo in the center of the control panel, under the words "Automatic Dishwasher" in script.

Now look at the photo I posted. While it's blurry, the logo matches the one on Nate's example.

Last, there is an example of the Kelvinator logo posted upthread, by alr2903. It does not match the control panel of the Draper unit.

Because D & M would make damn near anything for damn near anybody, I can certainly believe that they made a Kelvy version identical except for the logo. But I'm also convinced that the Draper machine has a G & S logo.
 
Actually Sandy on the Kelvinator versions that I saw with the Sunburst in the middle....

The Kelvinator Stamp was NOT over the Sunburst.  It was over the Timer Control.  

If I remember correct it said above the Sunburst "Energy Saver".  To the left of the Energy Save was a Sunflower or something.

Perhaps if I see another I will snap a photo.

 
 
D&M

I think it is a Gaffers & Sattler and I bet the 2 buttons from left to right are rinse&hold than full cycle! I love to read the d&m brochures does anyone heve displays?
Thanks Peter
 
Acquisition special

You're absolutely right, Sandy--recall that Chambers D&M I have hiding in the shed.  The Mercedes of stoves?  You betcha!  Not so much the dishwasher, though.  It was a cute match style-wise to the built-ins of the time, and there were elements that were slightly better than your average D&M, but it was still a D&M--clearly made so that they could have a fuller-line offering.  And yes, as with any brand, the date of the sale means nothing when the trademark gets exercised for years to keep it from expiring, so the blog is dead wrong there.

 

Of course, they were dead wrong when they posited that they had the oldest dishwasher on Earth.  ;-)

www.automaticwasher.org

Chambers dishwasher

Chambers dishwasher
www.automaticwasher.org www.automaticwasher.org

roto204-2014112622344702503_1.jpg
 
I'm glad to see someone else mentioning Mad Men... I've been hooked on this show the last week or so, watching 6 seasons in less than 10 days...

I was hooked on this show because of the scene shots I saw...

The decor has me hooked... The infidelity sickens me.... :/ To the point Don was causing headaches........
 
Kenny:

No monkey wrench at all - because Magic Chef was the company that bought Gaffers & Sattler in 1969.

It stands to reason that there would be great similarities between the two brands after that, in addition to the fact that a D & M-sourced dishwasher is always easy to spot.
 
Sandy:

Sandy, I know the late 1970s and beyond models did not have that star-burst with "Automatic Dishwasher" in the middle of the control panel.  So, I'd hve to say first half of the 1970s.
 
The Draper Dishwasher

That dishwasher went in for Season #3 I believe. There is an episode where the maid turns on the dishwasher. You can actually hear it running.
Personally I would have hoped they would have installed a KitchenAid. But seeing a dishwasher in that kitchen was a treat!
 
Maybe, Maybe Not....

"You can actually hear it running."

That might be the actual dishwasher, or could also be a sound effect dubbed in later. Hollywood does that kind of thing all the time.
 

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