"Where did i leave those killer heels,,,,,"

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keymatic

Well-known member
Platinum Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2002
Messages
661
Location
London / UK
Dear All,

Just thought I would share with you all my latest accquistion, I am proud to present the Frigidaire MasterTwin dating from 1970.

It is in good condition and even has the original sticker on the spinner lid saying "this lid cannot rust" the only thing i have done is put a new hose on and given it a good clean up, may have to order some new castor's.

I do like the entry hole to the side of the wash tub allowing "hands free filling" as the brochure says.

Cheers Keith

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Don't forget the flick ups

For those who don't know where the killer heels reference comes from see the picture below - which Keith shared with us a good few years ago.

Keith
What a great find, I know I have been interested to see what one of these looked like in the flesh for years and years. So, it is essentially a Tallent/Colston under the skin by the looks of it. This is not actually a huge surprise to me as this machine was around for quite a few years during which time I have seen similar badged as Goblin and English Electric too, (and even Bylock in the earlier Rolls days) and possibly others as well as Colston.

Feeling quite jealous here, a video would be good when you have the time mate.

@ Frigilux
This is a European rather than American machine and appears to have been simply "badged" by Frigidaire with some styling modifications particularly around the wash deck, which appears to be unique to this machine. Originally a Dutch design from the mid-late 1950s they were initially imported by John Bloom and marketed under the Rolls brand. Although the BOL models were very basic they were very cheap and very heavily marketed - making a major contribution to the market penetration of the twin tub here in the early 1960s. Soon they began to be manufactured in the UK (with motors built by Bylock, whom Rolls took over in 1963) and better featured models added. Rolls also had an agreement with Colston (set up by Sir Charles Colston who had essentially set up Hoover in the UK, and appears to have been booted out in 1956) to market a Rolls badged Colston dishwasher. The Rolls company was dodgy to say the least of it and crashed in 1964, 5 or 6 years after it was set up. However the manufacturing facility was bought out and continued making machines, primarily under the Colston brand name, until the very early 1980s when it was bought out/taken over by Ariston although it did not survive very long after that.

Al

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Frigidaire

Congratulations Keith, always great to find one of the Holy Grails of washers, looks in great nic, is the tub truely round like the Rolls then? always wanted to this have a Jetaction or an agi, interesting seeing the sump / heater at the front of tub...The washdeck detailing is square and precise, like it...

Looking forward to the videos!!
 
Those killer heels match that ric-rac trim on her apron - many things to be envious of there!

 

Really cute Frigidaire, too.  How is the performance?  It's in lovely condition.  What a neat find.  I'd like some videos too :-)

 

Blue Tide is going to cause quite a stir around here!
 
great to see this

Keith

yes as Mike says they've rotated the tub round 90 degrees on from the rolls, I can only think this would be to do with positioning the pumps.

Its interesting to see how just squaring off the cabinet and redesigning the top deck has really modernised the basic rolls design to reflect the competing machines at the time from hoover, hotpoint and servis.

I also notice the spin can is that of the frigidare spin dryer rather than that of the rolls. Would be interested to see the workings, is the spinner an adaption of the frigidaire spindryer, or the rolls spinner with the frigidaire can.

Anyway like the others I look forward to seeing the videos and hope you enjoy using it

Mathew
 
Hi Al, Mike & Matthew..

Thanks for your messages, it was a great find, a lady's son contacted and said his mum had an old washer that she wanted to get rid of, so i half-heartedly drove off down to Winchester expecting some bashed up single tub or a like, however to my surprise in the corner of the kitchen was this delight.

I was always intrigued by this machine and it's slightly curved body. The spinner is bascially a Frigidaire stand alone spinner..all the same working's and the wash tub is the same as a Rolls (direct drive turbulator etc)

I will try and get a clip done over the next few days..however it isn't easy to move as the castor's have crumbled and need to order some new ones.

Cheers Keith
 
Bless This House

Keith
The Mastertwin appears somewhere around series 4, have a search on youtube for the episode Who's Minding The Baby, about five minutes in, it's next to the Hotpoint fridge.
Ian
 
Fresh

That is a very nice looking machine indeed, as already said clean lines, and what a way to use old parts excellent!.............a nice addition to have

well done
Gary

Blue Tide is known to bring on killer heels and beehives that's why it was withdrawn :-)
 
Hi Gary,

Thanks, it is a great looking machine and hopefully get a video done soon!!

I can't believe how many machines are coming out of the woodwork at the moment on ebay...Hoovermatic-mania !!

Cheers
Keith
 
Glad you haven't been wasting your gap year Ian

thanks for finding the `bless this house' clip, and a chef too.

Betty might have brought the washing round, so we could see the machine in action.

I always remember watching `home sweet home' hoping to see the hoovermatic being used.

But back to the frigidaire, i expect that would have been a quick machine to use, with the fast wash times and the speed of the frigidaire spinner.

mathew
 
Pledge

wow Keith. That's in fantastic condition and the worktop looks as good as a Gplan sideboard rather than a laminate worktop - you've had the Pledge out by the looks of it.

My gran had 2 Frigidaire spin dryers - a gravity and a pump model so the spinner reminds me of that - it had a solid rubber spin mat with one hole in the centre I seem to remember. Our neighbour had a Colston coronet twin tub so the wash side reminds me of that too. Loved the way the water swirled via the pulsator and the water jet.

Be great to see the inner workings too if you get the chance for some pics and I also looking forward to a vid so I can hear it in action - no pressure :)
 
I too can't wait to see this in action, they're great looking machines and sadly too rare.
Mathew
Wasting time? It's more historical research :-) Just need to find the episode with Betty and the Keymatic!
Ian
 
Am sure there was an Indesit L5 in Bless this House too!

But I digress.

Hi keith.
Was speaking with Mike a few nights back and he nudged me about your new old find - and what a find!
Congratulations on finding a really rare twinnie - bet you found it hard to contain your glee, when you saw it in the previous owners kitchen.
In such good condition too.

The Mastertwin, as well as appearing in Bless this House, was also a background extra in 'Granny gets the Point', a 1971 public service film attempting to explain decimalisation in the UK. You get a good view at 5mins 20secs in.

Congrats again on the new find Keith.
Paul

 
More Digression (Sorry)

Love the clip Paul, looks like a Belling Classic 60 in there too. It does make me wonder if these Mastertwins are still sitting somewhere in the back of a props store? Was granny Doris Hare? I've been trawling round You Tube recently and have come across a widebody Hoover 3208 in Yus My Dear, the episode The Repair shows it hiding behind the table as they fix a puncture on a Raleigh Chopper.
Ian.
 
Morning Paul,
I'm not sure how i didn't have an accident when I saw the machine, after getting the leaflet/brochure well over 10 years ago, I was always interested to see the machine and curious to see the "Impell-Action" of which i have now discovered is little more than a Pulsator/Turbulator.
I am certain that Thora Hird had a Mastertwin in Last of the Summer Wine for a while in the mid-80's.

Ian: It is Doris Hare who played granny :) Not sure about many prop question, many prop companies got rid of lots of large items due to storage, Andy Grogan the guy that i had dealings regarding the Endeavour program confirmed it is hard to find vintage applainces due to the large storage space they require.

Regards
Keith
 
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