Kersten went to an open house yesterday then wrote me right away, all excited:
Hi Pam!
Just got back from a walk through of a time capsule home (OMG! OMG!) and saw these inside one of the kitchen cabinets. Any idea what they are used for? I’m stumped! (And so was the realtor.) As you can see, they swivel. Did you notice how the wood is cut for these specifically? Love that.
Thanks,
Kersten
In following emails, Kersten also wanted to point out: The cupboard shelf edges are actually routed to fit these thinga-ma-bobs.
I also asked her why she is at an open house, since we know she has a cutie mid century home of her own — which we just featured. Is she house-shopping?
She answers:
Not really, but whenever I see a time capsule listing, I always check it out. (Then when it is sold, I show up with a potted plant and tell the new owner that I’ll offer to pay for the things they tear out.) The realtors get a big kick out of how much I adore these houses.
Kersten, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I love you. Thank you for sending these photos, you have made my day. I’ve never seen one, ever! So: Aaaaahhhhhh, to see something altogether new — a strange, simple and beautiful, unidentified 1950s kitchen gadget species — still running free, undisturbed, in its natural habitat….Like you, I would have been all goosebumpy and excited and jumping up and down and making the realtors think I was a rare bird, indeed.
Note, I’ve seen Kitch’n Handy cup holders — long, ruler-like assemblies with cup-hooks that you screw into the bottom of a wood shelf and then pull in and out like a drawer. Actually, I think I bought a NOS one from ebay last year and have it stashed somewhere. There might have been one on the bay recently.
Okay, so, moreover: What the heck are these woddities (“wonderful oddities”) for, given their design?? Each of the three rings swivels out independently…. Why? What would really fit in there?
Surely some reader who grew up with one will know in a flash. Who’s the smartie today?
Nancy says
Found website with catalog for products from 1965. /www.stantheoldhardwareman.com/Washingtoncabinethdware
Per website, some products in stock and for sale.
robinsky says
they’ve got to be for holding skillets and/or serving pieces
morganism says
it was for holding pot lids, keeps em up out of the way
pam kueber says
I just don’t believe it looks big enough… wide enough…
George says
I believe that shelf swing out thing is a pie rack/cooler (if pie pan size). Thay are still made today as counter top doodads. Mom baked a lot.
George says
I believe it’s a pie rack/cooler. If it fits a pie pan; they still make them as countere top items.
pam kueber says
Hmmmm…. this is a very intriguing possibility. Do you think it’s really big enough?
Josey says
How funny- I just ordered one of those plate holders on ebay, only it was sold as a “towel rack”. Oh well, now i have an awesome plate holder!!!
Nina462 says
Nice house! I’d buy it in a heartbeat (if I was looking). That is a great idea about going back once the house is sold…..I may have to start doing that, as I love to go to open houses on Sunday afternoons. hmmmm- (I usually tell the realtor about this website to help potential buyers, as well).
63 Kurt says
That is the Kitch-N-Handy Swing out plate holder. It appears in my 1952 and 1954 Kitch-N-Handy catalogs. It was meant to hold a full service of dinner plates, luncheon plates and salad plates that would swing out of the way to help save space, but also make them easier to access.
If you are intersted, I can scan and forward that section out of my catalog. Kitch-N-Handy made a ton of great space saving gadgets for the kitchen that all work great.
Mary K says
That is exactly what I was thought when I first saw it. How awesome! Living in a 1955 ranch with the original steel cabinets that don’t have this, well, now I’m bummed. How useful this would be!
Cece DuBois says
That’s correct! My grandmother had one!
TappanTrailerTami says
Wow, this is too cool!
Here is the trademark info for Kitch’N Handy – Kitch’N Handy name was owned by Washington Steel Products in Tacoma:
http://www.trademarkia.com/kitchn-handy-71554747.html
And here are a bunch of photos of Washington Steel Products, Inc. facilities and workers (lots of women!). One of the notations says that WSP was sold to Ekco in 1959! Pretty fun to look through, the photos enlarge if you click the more detail link –
http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?krequest=subjects+contains+Washington%20Steel%20Products,%20Inc.%20and%20Tacoma
TappanTrailerTami says
I did discover in an eBay auction description that the Kitch’N Handy Co was located in Tacoma, WA – my home state. Now I think I have to start collecting Kitch’N Handy things!